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LEE  and  SHEPARD  Publishers 
BOSTON 


VICTOR    SERENUS 


A  STORY  OF  THE  PAULINE  ERA 


BY 


HENRY    WOOD 


AUTHOR  OF  "IDEAL  SUGGESTION"  "GOD'S  IMAGE  IN  MAN"  "EDWARD  BURTON" 

"THE  POLITICAL  ECONOMY  OF  NATURAL  LAW"  " STUDIES 

IN  THE  THOUGHT  WORLD  "  ETC. 


It  is  only  the  finite  that  has  wrought  and  suffered;  the  infinite  lies  stretched 
in  smiling  refose.  —  EMERSON. 


BOSTON   U.S.A. 
LEE  AND  SHEPARD  PUBLISHERS 

1904 


COPYRIGHT,  1898,  BY  HENRY  WOOD 


Ail  Rights  Reserved 


VICTOR  SF.RENUS 


TYPOGRAPHY   BY   C.    J.    PBTERS   &  SON,    BOSTON,    U.S.A. 
PRBSSWORK    BY    BERWICK    &   SMITH. 


PREFACE 


IT  seems  unnecessary  to  suggest  that  this  book  is  en- 
tirely independent  of  the  conventional  lines  of  the  mod- 
ern realistic  novel.  To  any  who  hold  that  idealism  in 
fiction  is  not  artistic,  that  a  didactic  element  is  inadmis- 
sible, and  that  philosophizing  has  no  place,  the  work 
will  hardly  commend  itself.  To  others,  who  believe  that 
fiction  may  be  a  useful  vehicle  for  the  conveyance  of 
helpful  ideals,  and  even  abstract  truth,  it  is  offered  with 
the  hope  that  it  may  furnish  some  measure  both  of  enter- 
tainment and  profit. 

On  many  historical  and  chronological  points  that  are 
involved,  authorities  differ;  but  so  far  as  the  author  has 
been  able  to  sift  them,  the  prevailing  and  apparently 
most  probable  hypotheses  have  been  followed.  As  may 
be  inferred,  it  has  been  necessary  to  glean  in  many  fields 
for  the  facts,  opinions,  and  conclusions  that  make  up 
the  historic  portion  of  the  raw  material  from  which  this 
story  has  been  fabricated.1 

i  Besides  the  history  contained  in  the  New  Testament  Scriptures,  the 
grateful  obligations  of  the  author  are  due,  in  varying  degree,  to  Farrar's 
"  Life  and  Work  of  St.  Paul,"  his  "  Darkness  and  Dawn ; "  the  "  Life  and 
Epistles  of  St.  Paul,"  by  Conybeare  and  Howson ;  "  Paul  the  Missionary," 
by  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Taylor,  D.D. ;  "  The  Ideas  of  the  Apostle  Paul,"  by  Rev. 
James  Freeman  Clarke,  D.D. ;  various  works  by  Stanley,  Jowett,  Arnold, 
Martineau,  Lytton,  and  Brewer;  besides  Josephus,  Strabo,  and  other  ancient 
historical  authorities. 


VI  PREFACE 

A  majority  of  the  characters  being  creations,  and  a 
large  part  of  the  action  also  unhistoric,  it  must  be  left  to 
the  judgment  of  the  reader  how  well  they  fit  into  their 
historic  frame-work.  So  far  as  St.  Paul  is  introduced 
in  the  narrative,  nearly  everything  delineated  belongs  to 
those  portions  of  his  life  which  are  but  very  briefly  or 
incidentally  touched  upon,  either  in  the  Scriptural  writ- 
ings or  other  history.  But  utilizing  many  undoubted  reali- 
ties, the  aim  has  been  to  fill  in  the  wide  blanks  with  that 
which  is  in  accord  and  in  the  line  of  the  possible  or 
probable. 

The  author  has  intended  to  respect  the  hallowed  as- 
sociations which  cluster  about  the  name  of  the  great 
Apostle.  But  Paul  was  a  man  with  like  passions  as 
other  men,  and  to  be  faithful,  any  outline  of  the  forces 
that  played  through  his  great  soul  should  be  drawn 
naturally,  and  without  that  misleading  glamor  often  im- 
posed by  far-away  time  and  distance.  Only  by  such 
a  treatment  can  his  life  be  brought  near,  and  its  prac- 
tical lessons  enforced.  If  to  any  the  interpretation 
seem  unduly  broad,  they  may  be  assured  that  the  author 
has  no  iconoclastic  intent,  but  on  the  contrary,  an  aim 
which  is  wholly  constructive,  whereby  everything  whole- 
some and  uplifting  in  human  life  may  be  encouraged 
and  strengthened. 

BOSTON,  1898. 


CONTENTS 


PART   FIRST 

CHAPTER  PACK 

I.  A  RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION  IN  TARSUS i 

II.  AN  EVENING  EXCURSION  ON  THE  CYDNUS  ....  8 

III.  IN  THE  TOILS 17 

IV.  THE  NET  is  RENT 23 

V.  Two  UNIVERSITY  STUDENTS 32 

VI.  To  THE  TOWER  OF  ANTONIA 40 

VII.  A  TARSIAN  FESTIVAL  TO  APOLLO 47 

VIII.  THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  ADYTUM 56 

IX.  SOLILOQUY  OF  GAMALIEL'S  DAUGHTER 68 

X.  MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:  STRANGE  VISIONS  ....  79 

XI.  IMPORTANT  MESSAGES 92 

XII.  SERENUS  MAKES  AN  AVOWAL 102 

XIII.  THE  WALLS  HAVE  EARS in 

XIV.  LOVE  VERSUS  DUTY 121 

XV.  THE  RESCUE  OF  REBECCA 133 

XVI.  AFTER  THE  STORM 146 

XVII.  A  ROMAN  PARADE 161 

XVIII.  AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE 177 

XIX.  SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON  WALLS 195 

XX.  SOWING  AND  REAPING 211 

XXI.  THE  GREAT  HARVEST 228 

PART   SECOND 
THE  LIGHT  SPREADS   TO    THE    WESTWARD 

XXII.  SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW 245 

XXIII.  A  BATTERED  EAGLE  .  260 


Vlll 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PACK 

XXIV.     ON  THE  VERGE  OF  THE  UNSEEN 280 

XXV.     A  PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY 299 

XXVI.     A  POWERFUL  PULSE  STIRRED 312 

XXVII.    A  MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS 330 

XXVIII.     LEANDER  VISITS  A  MYSTIC  SHRINE 348 

XXIX.     CHANGES  OF  SOUL-COLOR 368 

XXX.     A  PARADISE  DISCOVERED 381 

XXXI.     IN  DEEP  WATERS 399 

XXXII.     SCOURGING  AND  FLIGHT 412 

XXXIII.  A  PRIESTESS  OF  THE  TARSIAN  TEMPLE      .     .     .  422 

XXXIV.  ONCE  MORE  UPON  THE  CYDNUS 430 

PART  THIRD 
AFTER    THE  FLIGHT  OF  TWENTY  YEARS 

XXXV.     THE  BAY  OF  PUTEOLI 441 

XXXVI.     NOCTURNAL  INTERVIEW  WITH  A  SEER  ....  449 

XXXVII.    Two  WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED 463 

PART   FOURTH 

SAUL  US  IN  ROME 

XXXVIII.     AWAITING  TRIAL  BEFORE  NERO 481 

XXXIX.     ANTIPODES  BROUGHT  FACE  TO  FACE     ....  492 

XL.     THE  VISIBLE  FORM  LAID  ASIDE 500 


VICTOR    SERENUS 

A  STORY  OF  THE  PAULINE  ERA 


PART    FIRST 


CHAPTER   I 

A   RELIGIOUS   PROCESSION    IN  TARSUS 

IN  an  ancient  city,  late  in  the  afternoon  of  a  warm 
day  in  early  autumn,  a  little  procession  was  winding  its 
way  through  the  narrow  crowded  streets.  The  calm, 
measured  pace  and  solemn  countenances  of  the  group 
plainly  indicated  its  character  as  a  religious  ceremonial. 
Slightly  in  the  lead  were  two  priests,  of  such  official 
and  dignified  mien  that  they  appeared  as  though  they 
knew  the  God  of  Israel  face  to  face.  It  was  as  if  the 
little  Hebrew  band,  in  threading  a  great  throng  of  Gen- 
tiles, were  laden  with  the  accumulated  weight  of  all  the 
traditions  of  the  Chosen  and  Circumcised  since  the 
time  of  Abraham.  The  reverberation  of  every  sandal, 
as  it  struck  upon  the  well-worn  pavement,  proclaimed, 
as  loudly  as  words,  "  We  are  separate."  Even  the  flocks 
of  pigeons  that  were  in  the  air  seemed  to  hover  over 
the  moving  column,  as  if  to  lend  the  gleam  of  their 
white  wings  to  its  stately  rhythm. 


2  VICTOR  SERENUS. 

The  priests  wore  tall  turbans  of  cup-shaped  form, 
and  were  clad  in  long  robes  having  broad  borders  dec- 
orated with  a  deep  fringe,  and  gathered  about  the  body 
with  an  ornamented  girdle.  Broad  phylacteries,  square 
in  form,  were  bound  by  thongs,  one  upon  the  forehead, 
and  one  upon  the  left  arm,  each  containing  inscribed 
passages  from  the  Law.  They  also  wore  embroidered 
ephods  covering  the  back  and  breast,  held  together  on 
the  shoulders  by  brooches  of  onyx  stones  richly  set 
in  gold,  and  fastened  below  by  a  black  band  garnished 
with  jewels.  Their  hands  were  crossed  upon  the  breast, 
and  eyes  turned  toward  heaven. 

Following  just  behind  the  priests  were  men  and  women 
in  costumes  such  as  were  usually  worn  in  the  synagogue, 
which  indicated  that  they  were  returning  from  a  sacred 
service.  At  intervals  the  low,  monotonous  tones  of  a 
religious  chant,  or  some  soft  rendering  of  passages  from 
the  Mosaic  ritual,  might  have  been  audible  to  those  in 
the  near  vicinity.  They  formed  an  embodied  fragment 
of  that  long  line  of  the  faithful,  who  forget  not  the  pa- 
triarchs and  the  lawgivers,  and  whose  eyes  are  always 
turned  towards  Jerusalem  and  the  Temple. 

In  the  arms  of  one  of  the  women  was  a  young  infant, 
and  around  this  least  personage  there  seemed  to  gather 
an  interest  which  showed  that  whatever  the  nature  of  the 
service  just  concluded,  the  babe  must  have  been  the  cen- 
tral figure.  The  fond  glances  of  the  women  and  evident 
attention  of  the  men  plainly  revealed  that  thorough  sat- 
isfaction which  comes  from  holy  duty  well  performed. 

The  city  of  Tarsus  was  the  place,  and  the  time  about 
the  middle  of  the  first  decade  of  the  Christian  era. 


A   RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION  IN  TARSUS  3 

Tarsus  was  a  great  commercial  metropolis.  It  was 
located  in  the  midst  of  a  broad,  fertile  plain  which 
mainly  made  up  the  province  of  Eastern  or  Flat  Cilicia, 
as  distinguished  from  Rugged  Cilicia  which  bordered 
it  on  the  north  and  west.  The  prolific  soil,  central  lo- 
cation, and  peculiar  physical  configuration,  all  tended 
to  give  it  great  political  importance.  Leading  from  the 
great  plain  through  the  high  barrier  of  mountains  which 
sweep  from  the  coast  irregularly  around  it  are  two  passes, 
one  leading  up  to  the  interior  of  Asia  Minor,  and  the 
other  giving  access  to  the  valley  of  the  Orontes.  It  was 
naturally  the  meeting-place,  and  on  the  highway  of  trad- 
ing caravans  and  military  expeditions.  Through  this 
richly  historic  country,  Cyrus  marched  to  depose  his 
brother  from  the  Persian  throne.  It  was  on  this  plain 
that  Alexander  gained  his  decisive  victory  over  Darius. 
Here  have  since  been  encamped  the  great  hosts  of 
western  crusaders,  and  indeed,  from  the  early  dawn  of 
history,  this  plain  was  the  theatre  of  great  events  and 
conflicts,  which  had  much  to  do  with  the  shaping  of  em- 
pires, and  the  progress  of  the  world's  civilization. 

The  cold  and  rapid  river  Cydnus,  fed  by  the  snows  of 
the  Taurus  range  of  mountains,  flows  through  this  fertile 
country;  and  Tarsus,  the  capital  of  the  whole  province, 
which  was  "  no  mean  city,"  was  located  upon  its  banks. 
Its  coins  reveal  its  importance  during  the  period  be- 
tween Xerxes  and  Alexander,  and  also  while  under 
Roman  sway,  when  it  was  dignified  by  the  name  of  Me- 
tropolis. Strabo  says  that  in  all  that  relates  to  philoso- 
phy and  general  education  it  was  more  illustrious  than 
Athens  or  Alexandria.  In  the  main  it  had  the  character 


4  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  a  Greek  city;  and  the  Grecian  language,  literature, 
and  philosophy  were  generally  cultivated.  But  there 
were  also  many  Romans,  Hebrews,  Persians,  and  Syri- 
ans, with  a  sprinkling  of  other  tribes  and  peoples,  such 
as  characterized  an  Oriental  metropolis.  On  its  busy 
wharves  were  great  piles  of  merchandise,  surrounded  by 
groups  of  merchants  and  traders  in  many  costumes,  and 
speaking  a  variety  of  dialects. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  important  epochs  of  history; 
a  time  when  colossal  personalities  and  events  were 
stamping  their  impress  upon  the  destiny  of  races  and 
nations.  The  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  formed  the 
heart  of  the  world's  civilization;  and  Roman  militarism, 
legality,  and  control  were  permeating  and  compacting 
that  great  empire,  east  and  west.  The  Greek  and  He- 
brew were  important  but  subordinate  elements  in  the 
human  conglomerate  of  that  eventful  period.  Various 
and  unlike  races  were  commingling;  their  customs  and 
even  their  religions  were  shading  into  each  other,  and 
their  languages  becoming  considerably  interchangeable. 
The  Roman  represented  law,  government,  conquest,  and 
dominion ;  the  Greek  the  more  subtile  ideals  of  philoso- 
phy, art,  and  intellectuality;  while  the  Hebrew,  intense 
and  tenacious,  was  unconsciously  laying  the  foundation, 
through  his  religious  zeal,  for  the  coming  spread  of 
Judaism's  great  outgrowth,  rival,  and  successor,  Chris- 
tianity. His  hard  religiosity  and  punctilious  ceremo- 
nialism were  not  perceptibly  softened  even  by  close 
contact  with  Grecian  poetry  and  idealism.  Even  Roman 
jurisprudence  on  the  one  hand,  and  idolatry  on  the  other, 
could  not  penetrate  them.  As  a  rule,  the  various  tribu- 


A   RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION  IN  TARSUS  5 

taries  to  the  great  current  of  human  history  in  its  evolu- 
tionary course  gradually  mingle,  each  adding  something 
of  its  own  hue  to  the  common  volume,  but  the  Hebraistic 
economy  was  the  rare  exception.  Its  oil  would  not  mix 
with  the  general  water  of  other  systems. 

At  the  particular  time  with  which  we  are  dealing,  gen- 
eral peace  prevailed.  There  was  one  of  those  alterna- 
tions of  calmness  which  intervene  between  the  fierce 
storms  of  racial  conflict  and  religious  strife  and  perse- 
cution. 

The  Jewish  procession,  small  in  numbers,  but  impor- 
tant in  spirit  and  destiny,  threaded  its  way  through  the 
winding  thoroughfares,  attracting  but  a  passing  glance 
from  the  cosmopolitans  which  made  up  the  multiform 
currents  of  every-day  life  in  Tarsus.  At  length  it  halted 
in  front  of  a  family  residence  in  the  better  part  of  the 
Hebrew  quarter,  into  which  one  of  the  priests  with  the 
father  of  the  child  entered,  followed  by  the  mother  with 
her  young  son  in  her  arms,  while  the  others  dispersed. 
The  babe,  Saulus  Paulus,  was  forty  days  old,  and,  in 
conformity  to  the  Jewish  ritual,  had  been  taken  to  the 
synagogue  for  the  prescribed  presentation  service. 

Before  leaving  the  household,  the  priest  tenderly  took 
the  child  in  his  arms  to  give  him  a  final  blessing.  Rais- 
ing his  eyes  toward  heaven,  he  seemed  to  feel  a  spirit 
of  prophetic  inspiration.  With  his  right  hand  upon  the 
head  of  the  child,  he  reverently  presumed  to  lift  the  cur- 
tain which  veils  the  future,  fervently  exclaiming, — 

"  Son  of  Abraham,  scion  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin, 
and  heir  of  Benoni!  The  living  blood  of  the  Covenant 
flows  in  thy  veins!  Thou  shalt  wax  strong,  and  be 


6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

learned  in  all  that  pertaineth  to  the  Law!  Thou  shalt 
be  a  tongue  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  many  shall  tremble 
when  thou  speakest !  Thou  shalt  be  a  defender  of  Israel, 
and  bring  judgment  to  the  Gentiles!  Thou  shalt  open 
thy  mouth  and  utter  mighty  things  that  are  hidden  from 
the  Greek  and  Roman!  Thou  shalt  sorely  vex  the  ene- 
mies of  the  Circumcision,  and  bring  them  to  naught! 
With  holy  zeal  shalt  thou  pursue  them"  — 

Then  his  visage  became  fixed,  and  he  was  like  one  in 
a  trance.  A  voice,  not  his  own,  seemed  to  use  his  lips. 
"  I  behold  —  judgment  —  defeat  —  darkness !  The  un- 
circumcised  prevail !  " 

Abdiel,  the  priest,  trembled  like  an  aspen,  and  upon 
coming  to  himself,  declared  that  he  had  seen  a  disturb- 
ing vision. 

The  ancient  Judaism  accepted  no  compromise,  and 
bowed  to  no  defeat.  When  surrounded,  and  even  al- 
most submerged,  by  prevailing  idolatry,  polytheism,  and 
heathenism,  like  a  bow  temporarily  bent,  it  at  length 
sprang  back,  and  regained  its  original  integrity.  It  was 
a  casting  in  rigid  form  of  a  conglomerate  of  truth  and 
error,  righteousness  and  pride.  It  loathed  other  creeds 
and  philosophies,  and  its  Deity  was  limited  by  a  racial 
boundary.  It  was  a  political  theocracy. 

Phariseeism,  which  was  the  leading  element  of  Jewish 
religiosity,  was  a  compound  of  spiritual  pride,  exclusive 
ness,  and  intolerance.  Missionary  effort  among  other 
nations  was  not  thought  of  because  they  were  not  worth 
it.  God  was  the  God  of  Israel.  The  Chosen  People  felt 
that  they  had  a  monopoly  of  the  divine  favor,  and  they 
proposed  to  keep  it.  But  the  teaching  of  the  ancient 


A   RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION  IN  TARSUS  J 

seers  and  expounders  of  righteousness,  originally  good, 
had  become  incrusted  with  a  superficial  formalism,  and 
all  vitality  had  left  it.  Even  the  Mosaic  Law  and  the 
later  sublime  poems  and  religious  compositions,  though 
constantly  and  formally  recited,  were  loaded  down  with 
traditions,  and  had  become  a  complex  system  of  polished 
dry  bones.  Notwithstanding  the  discipline  of  previous 
dispersions  and  captivities,  such  was  the  spirit  of  the 
Chosen  People  during  the  earliest  years  of  the  Christian 
era. 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   II 

AN   EVENING   EXCURSION   ON   THE   CYDNUS 

THE  residence  of  Benoni  was  situated  upon  the  more 
elevated  plateau  which  embraced  the  northwestern  por- 
tion of  the  Cilician  metropolis.  A  little  distance  to  the 
north  was  the  Orontes  Gate,  through  which  a  thorough- 
fare, paved  with  much-worn  gray  and  white  flags,  led  out 
to  the  fertile  regions  in  the  broad  plain  above.  Through 
this  portal  surged  a  continuous  stream  of  life,  alternating 
in  direction  during  the  different  hours  of  the  day  like 
the  tides  in  an  inlet  from  the  sea.  Here  were  donkeys, 
with  panniers  bursting  with  fruits,  lentils,  onions,  and 
beans,  and  awkward  camels,  raw-boned,  rough,  and  gray, 
with  great  saddles  hung  over  their  backs,  the  capacious 
folds  of  which  contained  seemingly  endless  resources 
of  baskets,  boxes,  and  miscellaneous  merchandise. 
Horses,  roughly  harnessed  to  light  wagons  which  were 
heaped  with  dates,  figs,  grapes,  and  pomegranates,  and 
at  intervals  small  flocks  of  sheep,  calves,  and  other  ani- 
mals for  the  food-supply  of  a  great  city,  added  to  the 
picturesque  conglomerate  of  life  and  bustle.  Here  en- 
tered blatant  sellers  of  ducks,  doves,  and  pigeons,  min- 
gling their  shrill  cries  with  the  general  din  and  confusion. 
The  massive  arched  gateway  formed  the  framework  for 
a  shifting  panorama  of  races,  tribes,  costumes,  and  dia* 


AM  EVENING  EXCURSION  ON  THE   CYDNUS     9 

lects.  Interspersed  in  the  throng  were  red  and  blue 
cloaks  more  or  less  dingy,  white  turbans,  faded  tunics, 
long  beards,  and  bare  legs.  Oriental  display  and  deco- 
ration were  seen  in  golden  ornaments,  including  neck- 
laces, bracelets,  and  pendants,  all  lending  a  gleam  and 
sparkle  to  the  motley  streams  of  humanity.  Here  and 
there  were  women  of  the  common  classes,  wearing 
loosely  gathered  long  frocks,  and  upon  their  heads  veils 
or  wimples  ample  enough  to  fall  in  graceful  folds  about 
the  shoulders.  Some  were  leading  brown-bodied  and 
half-naked  children,  with  hair  and  features  indexing  the 
blood  of  Greek,  Jew,  Cilician,  or  barbarian  in  pictu- 
resque contrast. 

Three  broad  streets  converged  at  the  Orontes  Gate; 
and  these  were  lined  with  small  shops  containing  mer- 
chandise, fruits,  skins  filled  with  wines  and  other  strong 
drinks,  jewelry,  garments,  articles  for  personal  adorn- 
ment, unguents  for  anointing,  besides  amulets,  charms, 
and  images  in  endless  variety  and  abundance. 

The  dwelling  of  Benoni,  though  not  far  away,  was 
shut  off  from  the  noise  and  confusion  by  a  high  street- 
wall  in  the  rear,  while  in  front  the  sloping  grounds 
extended  directly  to  the  wide,  silvery  Cydnus.  There 
were  three  broad  terraces,  with  here  and  there  clusters 
of  acacias,  almonds,  spice-trees,  roses,  oleander,  and 
jasmine  between  the  winding  paths.  At  intervals  there 
were  rustic  seats  sheltered  by  bowers  of  flowering  plants 
and  shrubs. 

The  house  -was  two  stories  in  height,  substantial  but 
not  pretentious,  and  built  around  a  quadrangular  court. 
While  not  ornate,  it  was  attractive  and  well  proper- 


10  VICTOR  SERENUS 

tioned.  The  flat  roof  was  surrounded  by  a  low  parapet, 
and  was  furnished  with  a  few  wicker  seats  covered  with 
simple  canopies.  During  the  mild  seasons  the  family 
spent  much  time  upon  the  roof,  especially  in  the  early 
morning  and  evening  hours. 

The  simple  carvings  and  embellishments  of  the  house 
were  Hebraic  in  design,  and  many  of  the  utensils  were 
deeply  suggestive  of  ancient  symbolism  and  ritual.  Ex- 
tending around  the  interior  court  was  a  cornice  carved 
in  low  relief,  with  designs  depicting  scenes  from  *he 
lives  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the  receiving  of  the 
Law  by  Moses,  the  tabernacle,  the  ark  of  the  covenant, 
and  representations  of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  its 
courts,  and  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  In  the  atrium, 
or  principal  apartment,  stood  an  ancient  cabinet,  in  which 
was  preserved  with  great  care,  in  many  wrappings,  a 
scroll  of  parchment,  upon  which  was  inscribed  a  record 
of  the  direct  genealogical  line  of  descent  from  Abraham, 
through  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  down  to  Benoni.  The 
very  atmosphere  of  this  house  of  "  a  Hebrew  of  the  He- 
brews "  was  almost  redolent  with  the  odor  of  incense, 
and  its  flavor  was  that  of  instituted  feasts  and  festivals. 

Tarsus,  though  advanced  in  sophistical  logic  and  phi- 
losophy, was  in  its  leading  characteristics  morally  de- 
praved. The  seat  of  celebrated  schools  of  letters,  it 
was,  at  the  same  time,  the  home  of  Eastern  cults,  whose 
mad  sensuality  and  weird  superstition  made  up  a  pagan 
corruption  rarely  equalled.  A  part  of  its  idolatry  con- 
sisted of  the  very  types  and  ideals  of  luxurious  effem- 
inacy, gluttony,  and  sensuality.  The  iridescent  film  of 
intellectual  culture,  which  was  drawn  over  the  mass  of 


AN  EVENING  EXCURSION  ON  THE   CYDNUS      II 

moral  degradation,  gave  it  a  charm  and  external  refine- 
ment which  was  more  seductive  than  naked  barbarism. 
One  of  the  chief  festivals  included  the  worship,  with 
elaborate  rites,  of  statues  of  Sardanapalus  and  Semira- 
mis,  upon  the  base  or  pedestal  of  which  was  engraved, — 

"  EAT,  DRINK,  ENJOY  THYSELF;    THE  REST  IS  NOTHING." 

To  the  Jews  of  the  Dispersion  who  dwelt  in  Tarsus, 
the  spectacles  of  heathenism  inspired  in  general  a  sense 
of  disgust.  The  very  bigotry  with  which  their  economy 
had  become  incrusted  formed  a  kind  of  protection 
against  which  a  more  plastic  and  characterless  religion 
would  have  measurably  yielded.  Under  the  intense 
glare  of  the  law  such  a  paganism  appeared  in  all  its 
abnormal  deformity.  The  Jew  was  no  sophist  or  senti- 
mentalist; and  the  Tarsian  iniquity  and  abandon,  far 
from  being  attractive,  strongly  confirmed  him  in  his  own 
traditions. 

The  prejudices  of  Phariseeism  surrounded  the  very 
cradle  of  the  son  of  Benoni.  Intolerance,  fanaticism, 
national  pride,  and  exclusiveness  built  themselves  deeply 
into  the  organism  of  his  childish  nature.  At  the  age  of 
five  he  had  learned  many  passages  from  the  sacred  rolls 
of  parchment,  and  at  six  he  could  recite  the  "Shema" 
and  "Hallel."  At  seven  he  was  taken  to  his  "vine- 
yard," or  school,  which  was  attached  to  the  synagogue; 
and  at  ten  he  commenced  the  simpler  doctrines  of  the 
oral  law  which  were  collected  in  the  "Mishna. " 

Abdiel,  the  priest,  often  came  to  visit  the  family,  and 
was  zealous  touching  the  training  of  Saulus  in  ritual 
and  tradition.  But  though  the  vision  of  the  triumph  of 


12  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"the  uncircumcised  "  had  never  been  repeated,  inter- 
vening years  had  not  entirely  destroyed  its  portentous 
impression,  even  though  he  had  feigned  to  forget  it. 
Thirteen  years  had  passed,  and  the  son  of  Benoni  had 
been  confirmed  as  a  "Son  of  the  Commandment."  He 
was  now  prepared  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  for  the  acquire- 
ment of  a  deeper  learning  in  one  of  the  great  schools 
of  the  prophets  where  he  might  become  a  Rabbi. 

Benoni  also  had  two  daughters,  the  elder  of  whom 
had  married  long  before,  and  removed  from  Tarsus. 
Rebecca,  the  younger,  was  three  years  older  than  Saulus, 
and  was  known  among  the.  Greeks  of  the  neighborhood 
as  "the  beautiful  Jewess."  No  brother  and  sister  could 
be  more  devotedly  attached  to  each  other;  and  their  in- 
terests, studies,  and  recreations  were  shared  in  common. 
They  were  quite  unlike  in  nature  and  disposition ;  but, 
as  is  often  the  case,  this  seemed  to  strengthen  their  bond 
of  affection.  Each  supplied  what  was  lacking  in  the 
other.  He  was  intense,  impetuous,  and  unyielding,  while 
she  was  placid  and  rarely  ruffled  even  under  great  provo- 
cation. Though  of  recognized  Jewish  type  in  feature 
and  form,  she  was  faultless  even  from  the  artistic  stand- 
point of  the  Greek.  The  artlessness  and  innocence  which 
from  a  pure  soul  also  shone  out  through  her  personality 
lent  an  additional  charm.  She  usually  appeared  with 
her  jet-black  hair  gathered  in  two  ample  braids  falling 
gracefully  behind,  and  interspersed  near  the  ends  with 
golden  threads,  terminating  in  a  small  ornament  with 
pendants.  A  silken  cap  of  light  fabric  and  delicate 
shading  rested  lightly  upon  her  head,  and  around  her 
neck  was  a  network  of  delicate  chains  intermingled  with 


AN  EVENING  EXCURSION  ON  THE   CYDNUS      13 

precious  stones.  The  folds  of  her  white  loose-fitting 
robe  were  gathered  by  a  braided  scarlet  girdle,  orna- 
mented with  delicate  pendants  of  pearl  ;  and  her  neck 
and  arms  were  but  lightly  covered  by  a  gauze  scarf,  upon 
which  was  a  scattered  embroidery  of  golden  thread. 
Every  detail  of  personality  and  costume  indicated  a  re- 
finement which  was  genuine  and  graceful. 

At  the  close  of  one  sultry  August  day,  the  family  were 
seated  in  their  usual  cosey  corner  upon  the  house-top,  as 
was  their  wont  in  warm  weather.  The  fierce  Cilician 
sun  was  just  sinking  behind  the  great  brown  Taurus 
mountains  in  the  western  horizon.  The  furnace-like  air 
of  the  great  shimmering  plain  to  the  north  and  west, 
which  had  been  wavy  with  heat,  was  reluctantly  yielding 
to  a  more  endurable  temperature,  and  the  lengthening 
shadows  gradually  softened  the  glare  of  the  broad  land- 
scape which  stretched  away  beyond  the  city  to  the  great 
mountain  wall  in  the  distant  haze.  The  silvery  current 
of  the  Cydnus,  with  its  foliage-lined  banks,  could  be  fol- 
lowed by  the  eye,  winding  its  zigzag  way,  and  narrowing 
in  the  dim  distance  almost  to  a  thread  when  traced 
toward  its  native  mountain  hiding-place.  The  purple 
light,  which  lingered  about  the  summits  of  the  far-away 
range,  had  a  weird  and  foreboding  look;  and  the  great 
chasm  in  the  Taurus,  into  which  the  orb  of  day  had 
plunged,  glowed  with  an  unwonted  and  sullen  obstinacy 
as  it  slowly  yielded  to  the  darkening  shadows.  A  few 
heavy  clouds  which  hung  over  the  highest  peaks  were 
lined  with  a  crimson  glory,  which,  while  gorgeous,  seemed 
restless  and  fateful. 

If  Nature  was  in  a  serious  and  contemplative  mood, 


14  VICTOR  SERENUS 

the  family  of  Benoni  was  not  less  absorbed  in  revery. 
Silence  long  prevailed.  All  were  gazing,  not  so  much 
at  the  white  roofs  and  gilded  domes  beyond  the  Cydnus, 
toward  which  they  faced,  nor  upon  the  garden  in  the  im- 
mediate foreground,  as  into  the  vista  of  the  future.  Eyes 
were  looking  out,  but  thoughts  were  turned  within. 

What  of  the  morrow  ?  What  of  the  far-reaching  con- 
sequences of  the  movement  just  to  begin  ?  Kaleido- 
scopic visions  of  coming  days  flitted  through  their  minds. 
Stillness  prevailed  over  the  city.  The  very  atmosphere 
was  stagnant.  The  household  of  Benoni  seemed  to  have 
a  prophetic  foregleam  of  great  events,  but  their  char- 
acter and  detail  were  hidden  in  the  impenetrable  mists 
of  the  future. 

Saulus  was  seated  beside  his  mother,  with  her  arm 
encircling  him,  and  her  hand  gently  stroking  his  cheek. 
To-morrow  they  were  to  part.  Rebecca  was  the  first  to 
break  the  silence.  She  drew  herself  to  the  other  side 
of  her  brother,  and  taking  his  hand  in  her  own,  gave 
him  a  warm  kiss  upon  his  cheek. 

"  Brother,  dear  !  How  can  we  give  thee  up  ?  Our 
hearts  fail  us  when  we  think  of  thy  journey  which  begins 
with  to-morrow's  sun." 

"  But  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  will  be 
with  thee,  my  son,"  said  the  mother.  "And  thou  wilt 
see  the  great  Rabban  Gamaliel,1  and  be  taught  of  him. 
Thou  wilt  bring  honor  upon  the  house  of  Benoni,  O  my 
Saulus!" 

1  There  were  only  seven  of  the  Rabbis  to  whom  the  Jews  gave  the  title 
of  Rabban  ;  and  three  of  these  were  Gamaliels  of  this  family,  who  each  in 
turn  rose  to  the  high  distinction  of  Nast,  or  President  of  the  School. 


AN  EVENING  EXCURSION  ON  THE   CYDNUS      1$ 

She  folded  him  in  closer  embrace,  and  stroking  back 
his  curly  locks,  pressed  repeated  kisses  upon  his  fore- 
head. 

"O  my  mother!  no  one  will  ever  love  me  as  thou 
dost  My  life  hath  been  thine,  but  I  must  now  give  it  to 
the  God  of  Israel  —  to  the  Chosen  People.  I  will  grow 
to  be  a  leader,  and  help  to  gather  them  from  their  dis- 
persion. I  will  bring  to  naught  the  counsel  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. Thou  art  yielding  me  to  the  service  of  our  people, 
and  in  due  time  I  will  render  a  worthy  account  of  my 
doings.  O  my  mother !  I  will  learn  wisdom  of  the  great 
Rabban,  and  be  a  true  son  of  the  covenant. " 

The  father  aroused  himself  from  his  revery  and  drew 
nearer. 

"Son,  thou  hast  my  blessing.  Thy  words  proclaim 
thy  zeal  for  the  Law.  Thou  wilt  surely  prevail !  Hast 
thou  everything  prepared  for  the  journey?  The  ship 
will  set  sail  to-morrow  at  the  third  hour." 

"  My  good  mother  hath  helped  me  to  make  all  things 
ready." 

Benoni  was  to  go  up  to  the  Holy  City  with  his  son. 

"  Would  there  were  a  ship  for  Caesarea  that  knows  the 
God  of  Israel !  "  said  the  father. 

"  In  what  ship  do  we  set  sail  ?  " 

"  My  son,  it  is  a  Phoenician  vessel,  which  is  dedicated 
to  the  gods  of  Tyre,  and  it  carries  the  sign  of  Castor  and 
Pollux." 

The  mother  raised  her  head  inquiringly.  "  Is  there  not 
peril  from  pirates  ? " 

"  Nay ;  the  Romans  have  cleared  the  seas  of  them." 

Again  a  long  pause,  and  even  the  impulsive  Saulus 


16  VICTOR  SERENUS 

was  sad  and  thoughtful.  Noticing  that  his  mother  had 
buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  he  gently  drew  them  aside 
and  gave  her  another  kiss. 

"O  my  mother!  dry  thy  tears.  The  days  will  pass 
speedily  when  I  may  return  from  the  Holy  City.  My 
love  for  thee  shall  never  wane." 

The  shades  of  evening  had  gathered,  and  anon  the  clear 
full  moon  appeared  above  the  horizon,  flooding  the  broad 
expanse  of  white  roofs  with  a  pale,  misty  light.  The  Cyd- 
nus  hurried  quietly  past,  gleaming  like  a  stream  of  molten 
silver.  By  a  general  impulse  the  little  group  awakened 
from  their  quietude. 

Saulus  turned  toward  his  sister. 

"  The  river  is  serene.  Get  thy  lute,  and  let  us  take  the 
shallop,  that  I  may  feel  the  oars  once  more  before  my 
departure. " 

Hand  in  hand  the  two  darted  down  the  stone  stairway, 
and  after  a  hasty  change  of  outer  costume,  made  their  way 
down  one  of  the  well-worn  paths  to  the  river's  bank. 
Unlocking  the  little  boat-house,  Saulus  pushed  the  light 
shallop  to  the  landing,  and  the  two  stepped  in  for  an 
excursion.  The  young  Israelite  grasped  the  oars  with 
his  usual  alacrity;  and  the  scions  of  the  house  of  Benoni 
glided  out  upon  the  stream  and  quickly  disappeared,  mak- 
ing their  way  against  the  broad  current  of  the  Cydnus. 


2N  THE    TOILS  I/ 


CHAPTER   III 

IN   THE   TOILS 

"By  Pallas!  A  bird  hath  flown  into  our  net.  The 
tempest  hath  driven  her  to  shelter." 

"  A  riddle  for  my  interpretation,  Marcius? " 

"Thou  judgest  rightly." 

"Methinks  I  am  already  on  the  trail,  my  gallant;  or 
art  thou  an  impostor?  Come,  I  am  impatient!  Doth  the 
bird  sing? " 

"Thou  wilt  find  out  the  particulars  for  thyself." 

"A  truce.      Solve  thine  own  riddle,  I  say." 

"Well,  my  gay  Leander,  the  slaves  down-stairs  say 
that  we  are  honored  by  a  call  —  rather  unceremonious, 
I  must  admit  —  from  a  beautiful  young  Jewess." 

"Ha!     A  bird  of  that  feather  will  stir  the  pulses." 

"Thou  sayest  well.  The  sun  warms  and  the  breeze 
refreshes." 

The  Roman  smiled,  and  his  dark  eyes  sparkled  from 
beneath  their  heavy  brows. 

"  A  much-needed  addition  to  our  coterie,  Marcius.  The 
gods  are  propitious  to-night." 

"  Thy  discrimination  is  fine,  my  genial  Greek.  Variety 
is  fitting." 

"  Fortune  commands  us  to  be  hospitable." 

"  We  will  obey  with  alacrity,  and  make  the  young  Jew- 
ess quite  at  home." 


1 8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Even  the  elements  bespeak  a  welcome  with  their  noisy 
commotion." 

"  A  truce  to  thy  poetic  fancies,  my  gallant.  They  say 
the  bird  hath  an  incumbrance. " 

"  A  lover  in  her  train,  sayest  thou  ? " 

"Nay;  a  small  brother." 

"Did  the  skies  drop  them  down  with  the  hail-stones 
in  the  storm  that  just  passed  over,  Marcius?  " 

"I  cannot  swear  to  it,  my  Leander;  but  it  seemeth 
likely,  for  the  slaves  say  that  they  appeared  just  after- 
wards at  the  gate  which  opens  toward  the  Cydnus." 

"  O  thou  prosaic  Roman !  It  is  the  gods  who  are  prod- 
igal with  their  favors." 

"  Be  it  so.  Who  recks  the  wind,  where  it  blows,  so 
that  it  ministers  to  our  fancies.  Thou  art  an  ardent 
votary  of  thy  favorite  divinities;  but  miracles  like  this 
are  not  common." 

"  Ah !  the  Muses  whisper  to  us :  — 

'Love,  sons  of  earth  —  for  love  is  earth's  soft  lore, 
Look  where  ye  will  —  earth  overflows  with  me, 
Learn  from  the  waves  that  ever  kiss  the  shore, 
And  the  winds  nestling  on  the  heaving  sea.'  " 

"  Son  of  the  Muses !  Descend  from  thy  flight  among 
the  deities,  and  be  assured  that  to  the  commonplace  god 
of  Necessity  this  visit  of  our  guests  is  due.  Their  light 
shallop  being  disabled,  they  made  a  very  unexpected  but 
necessary  landing  upon  the  dock  within  our  enclosing 
walls." 

"The  shades  of  Daphne  be  praised,  Marcius;  but  what 
of  the  lad  in  attendance?  " 


IN  THE    TOILS  19 

"  If  we  find  no  service  for  him  within  the  palace,  we 
may  have  to  offer  him  to  the  gods  as  a  Hebrew  sacrifice, 
or,  in  other  words,  present  him  as  a  graceful  tribute  to 
the  waters  of  the  Cydnus." 

"Thou  sayest  well.  The  Styx  is  often  a  shady  but 
poetic  necessity.  The  gods  give  their  favorites  early 
release." 

"  A  happy  turn  to  a  shadowy  sentiment,  my  gay  Le- 
ander,  and  quite  worthy  of  thy  ever-presiding  Muse." 

"But  will  not  our  guest  feel  neglected  at  this  delay 
in  her  reception,  Marcius  ?  " 

"Nay,  my  gallant;  she  must  be  made  presentable. 
The  slave  woman,  Chloe,  informs  me  that  she  was  terri- 
bly dishevelled  from  the  storm,  but  that  her  beauty  is 
marvellous.  She  is  being  warmed  and  refreshed." 

"  Ah !  my  favorite  Muse  again  comes  to  the  front :  — 

'  In  the  veins  of  the  cafcx  foams  and  glows 

The  blood  of  the  mantling  vine; 
But  oh !  in  the  bowl  of  Youth  there  glows 
A  Lesbium  more  divine ! 
Bright,  Bright, 
As  the  liquid  light, 
Its  waves  through  thine  eyelids  shine!'" 

"A  very  graceful  song.      From  whence  is  it?" 
"  Oh,  it  is  but  a  ripple  on  the  surface  of  the  great  sea 
of  Grecian  lore." 

"  Be  it  so.  But  a  truce  to  the  lore  of  the  past.  Let 
us  now  to  the  present.  Pour  a  libation  to  Venus,  and 
bring  a  vessel  of  the  wine  of  Lesbos,  and  we  will  drink 
to  the  health  of  the  fair  one  —  the  last  to  come  under  our 
gracious  protection." 


20  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Thou  sayest  well,  Marcius.  What  the  immortal  gods 
send,  let  us  receive  with  thanks,  and  let  it  be  consecrated 
in  the  charmed  halls  of  our  temple  of  Eros." 

The  two  seated  themselves,  and  in  a  little  time  each 
had  drained  a  large  amphora  of  wine  —  once  repeated. 
Soon  the  blood  shot  like  flashes  of  fire  through  their 
veins.  At  length  Leander  arose,  and  took  from  a  vase  a 
handful  of  rare  flowers. 

"  I  weave  a  chaplet  for  my  Jewish  maiden,  and  chant 
once  more  in  her  honor :  — 

'We  are  fallen,  but  not  forlorn, 

If  something  is  left  to  cherish; 
As  Love  was  the  earliest  born, 
So  Love  is  the  last  to  perish. '  " 

With  the  continued  draughts  of  wine,  the  Greek  and 
the  Roman  grew  more  talkative  and  noisy. 

"By  Bacchus!  Leander,  did  my  ears  deceive  me? 
Didst  thou  say  my  Jewish  maiden  before  thy  song?" 

"Gently,  impetuous  Roman.  I  drank  to  my  Jewish 
maiden." 

"We  shall  see,  O  thou  effeminate  Greek! " 

"We  shall  se.^  then,  perfidious  Roman!" 

"  Ha !  rash  dolt !  We  will  have  no  Brutus  here. 
Slaves'.  Chloe!  Bring  up  my  guest  and  introduce 
her." 

At  the  same  moment  he  dealt  the  Greek  a  powerful 
blow,  which  caused  him  to  measure  his  length  on  the 
bear-skin  rugs  that  were  spread  upon  the  polished,  in- 
laid floor.  Then,  clapping  his  hands  for  a  slave  to  assist 
him,  they  bore  the  prostrate  Leander  into  an  adjoining 


IN  THE    TOILS  21 

chamber,  and  deposited  him  upon  a  couch.  Marcius 
then  returned  to  receive  the  latest  guest. 

While  the  episode  just  narrated  had  been  going  on, 
there  had  come  floating  in  from  a  distance  the  tones  of 
unseen  minstrelsy  —  now  swelling,  now  diminishing  — 
in  a  way  to  hold  the  soul  spellbound.  This  was  an  ac- 
companiment to  the  nightly  revelry  and  orgies. 

Adjoining  the  apartment  where  the  comrades  had  held 
converse,  and  separated  from  it  by  heavy  draperies,  was 
a  large  banquet-room,  and  still  beyond,  the  room  from 
whence  came  the  strains  of  music.  Mingled  with  the 
melody  and  with  the  measured  rhythm  of  the  dance, 
there  escaped  fragments  of  hilarity,  merrymaking,  and 
the  echo  of  voices  in  pleasing  confusion. 

All  the  apartments  and  their  accessories  were  eloquent 
with  a  voluptuous  refinement.  Culture,  wealth,  and 
depravity  seemed  here  to  form  a  close  combination. 
The  occupants  evidently  were  of  patrician  blood,  cor- 
rupted by  luxury  and  sensuality,  while  the  pictures, 
statuary,  symbols,  and  images  indicated  that  their  oft- 
invoked  divinities  were  as  cruel  and  degenerate  as 
themselves.  The  whole  interior  of  the  palace  was  an 
intricate  but  beautiful  maze,  arranged  to  confuse  and 
captivate  the  senses.  It  was  one  of  those  highly  or- 
ganized efforts,  in  a  luxurious  and  depraved  age,  in  a 
heathen  metropolis,  to  storm  the  citadels  of  supposed 
pleasure,  and  to  compel  the  inverted  mechanism  of  Na- 
ture herself  to  yield  without  reserve  the  last  charm  that 
is  contained  in  her  storehouse.  Art,  nature,  the  flowers, 
the  stars,  rhythm,  melody,  beauty,  and  feeling,  with 
cruelty  and  orutality  interwoven — everything  was  placed 


22  VICTOR  SERENUS 

under  contribution  in  the  mad  and  exhaustive  search  for 
a  perfect  sentient  paradise.  It  was  an  age  when  the 
senses  and  instincts  of  mankind  seemed  to  reach  a 
climax  of  abnormity,  while  outwardly  gilded  with  artistic 
charm  and  gracefulness.  It  was  an  era  of  intellectual 
delusion  and  spiritual  insanity.  Man  must  crowd  and 
surfeit  his  baser  nature  to  the  bursting-point  to-day,  for 
to-morrow  he  is  not. 

The  palace  was  brilliant  with  numberless  lights;  and 
the  warm  air  was  heavy  with  the  odors  of  myrrh,  violets, 
jasmine,  and  other  flowers  and  spices.  Fountains  cast 
up  a  delicate  spray  which  glittered  like  star-dust  in  their 
pulsating  prismatic  play.  Mirrors  of  polished  steel  du- 
plicated every  beautiful  object,  dazzled  the  bewildered 
senses,  and  flung  chaplets  of  rosy  chains  around  the  soul 
of  every  captive  and  victim.  To  breathe  the  magic  air 
was  to  experience  a  delicious  intoxication. 

The  vaulted  ceilings  of  the  principal  apartments  were 
frescoed  with  a  sky  in  which  were  floating  fleecy  clouds 
of  rosy  hue,  from  the  midst  of  which  smiled  faces  of 
bewildering  shape  and  beauty. 

In  the  dances  and  religious  processions  that  were 
painted  upon  panels  trooped  forms  of  the  divinest 
beauty,  bearing  garlands  and  chaplets  and  lyres,  keep- 
ing time  to  the  soft  minstrelsy  of  melody  which  seemed 
to  issue  from  the  very  walls.  Every  ornament,  picture, 
and  statue  silently  chanted  an  invitation  to  ENJOY. 

The  door  from  below  opened,  and  Chloe  ushered  the 
pure  Jewish  maiden  into  the  presence  of  Marcius.  But 
she  came  not  alone.  The  small  brother,  though  unin- 
vited, appeared  also,  and  they  were  hand  in  hand. 


THE  NET  IS  RENT  2$ 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    NET    IS    RENT 

SAULUS  plied  the  oars  with  a  steady  stroke  that  would 
have  done  credit  to  more  mature  muscles,  and  the  light 
shallop  with  its  precious  freight  glided  rapidly  over  the 
mirror-like  surface  of  the  Cydnus.  The  air  was  laden 
with  fragrant  exhalations  from  spicy  shrubs,  the  bending 
branches  of  which  hung  over  the  water  on  either  bank; 
the  grounds  immediately  upon  the  river  being  generally 
laid  out  in  gardens,  which,  like  those  of  Benoni,  extended 
to  the  water's  edge.  The  lily  and  rose-tree,  the  oleander 
and  mulberry,  each  made  its  contribution  of  sweet  odors, 
while  their  misty  shadows  quivered  upon  the  surface  of 
the  water  as  the  two  moved  gently  by.  Out  of  the  thick 
foliage,  here  and  there,  came  the  song  of  a  nightingale, 
the  soft  whistle  of  a  quail,  or  the  cooing  of  a  turtle-dove 
calling  its  mate,  perchance  disturbed  by  the  plash  of  the 
oars. 

The  poetic  inspiration  and  openness  to  nature's  voices, 
so  prominent  during  the  former  days  of  Jewish  psalmody 
and  prophecy,  had  greatly  decayed  under  the  influence 
of  a  harsh  formalism.  The  children  of  Benoni,  while 
not  indifferent  to  the  beauty  about  them,  were  rather 
dwelling  amid  vague  visions  of  the  future. 

The  full  moon  was  now  almost  overhead.     The  even- 


24  VICTOR  SERENUS 

ing  air,  while  calm,  had  a  preternatural  closeness  and 
intensity.  A  portentous  pause  prevailed  —  a  lingering  as 
if  on  the  brink  of  fateful  destiny.  Nature  seemed  pro- 
phetically to  be  holding  her  breath.  But  the  reveries 
of  the  scions  of  Benoni  were  not  disturbed  by  porten- 
tous signs.  Nothing  so  motionless  could  cause  them 
to  forget  the  riches  of  ancient  Hebrew  lore,  or  obscure 
the  bright  plans  in  the  near  future  for  Saulus.  As  each 
was  wrapped  in  meditation,  some  time  passed  without  a 
word  being  spoken.  But  at  length  strains  of  music  in 
the  far  distance  came  floating  over  the  water,  and  Saulus 
was  aroused  by  their  suggestiveness. 

"Attune  thy  lute,  my  sister,  and  sing  one  of  the  songs 
of  Israel.  If  thou  wilt,  let  it  be  the  song  of  Miriam." 

Rebecca  took  up  her  favorite  instrument,  and  soon  the 
echoes  of  her  pure  voice  with  its  dulcet  accompaniment 
floated  out  over  the  waves. 


'  Sing  ye  to  the  Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously; 
The  horse  and  his  rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea,'  " 


Other  songs  and  chants  of  the  Chosen  People  followed; 
and  then  the  Holy  City,  the  Temple,  and  its  services 
formed  the  theme  of  converse. 

The  time  had  flown  swiftly. 

"  Peace  be  with  thee,  my  brother  !  Have  we  not  come 
far?  Let  us  turn  homeward." 

"  The  evening  is  well  spent  ;  but  the  Cydnus  is  serene, 
and  the  current  favors  our  return." 

The  shallop  was  quickly  put  about,  and  Saulus  grasped 
the  oars  for  a  steady  pull  ;  but,  as  they  turned  their  gaze 


THE  NET  IS  RENT  2$ 

down  the  river,  the  white  roofs  and  towers  of  the  city 
were  hidden  by  a  great  black  curtain. 

"  O  my  Rebecca !  a  tempest  is  at  hand ! " 

Saulus  bent  to  the  oars  with  an  energy  born  of  desper- 
ation. Soon  a  blinding  flash  of  lightning  illumined  the 
broad  expanse,  followed  by  a  heavy  peal  of  thunder. 

"The  God  of  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  will  be 
with  and  keep  us,  my  brother.  '  Behold,  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep. '  '• 

The  storm  came  on  apace.  The  density  of  the  dark- 
ness was  intensified  by  the  lightning-flashes  which  like 
great  darting  serpents  thrust  themselves  athwart  the  sky. 
The  fierce  roar  of  the  wind  was  now  mingled  with  the 
thunder;  and  although  Saulus  struggled  heroically  to 
keep  the  sharp  prow  to  the  wind,  the  little  craft  was 
borne  uncontrollably  along,  barely  being  kept  upright. 

"  O  God  of  our  fathers !  Thou  who  didst  bring  Israel 
through  the  Red  Sea,  save  us,  or  we  perish!  "  exclaimed 
Rebecca. 

They  were  swept  along;  and  when  the  boat  was  just 
about  to  fill,  it  was  dashed  violently  upon  the  shore. 
The  momentum  which  crushed  their  frail  bark  as  it 
struck  landed  them  suddenly  upon  the  ground. 

The  children  of  Benoni  were  saved.  Partially  stunned, 
but  otherwise  unharmed,  they  arose,  and  in  each  other's 
embrace  looked  up,  and  thanked  the  God  of  Israel  for 
deliverance.  Turning  to  explore  their  landing-place, 
they  found  themselves  in  the  yard  of  a  large  house  or 
palace,  which  was  brilliantly  lighted,  and  from  which 
issued  the  confused  noise  of  voices,  mingled  with  music 
and  laughter. 


26  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"We  have  fallen  among  the  Gentiles,"  said  Saulus. 

On  either  side  of  the  yard  was  a  high  wall,  and  noth- 
ing remained  but  to  knock  at  the  Cydnus  gate  of  the 
palace  for  admission  and  relief.  They  were  kindly  re- 
ceived in  the  basement  by  the  slaves  in  attendance,  who 
took  them  in,  and  administered  warmth  and  refreshment. 

At  length  Chloe,  the  head  female  slave,  who  had  in- 
formed Marcius  of  their  sad  plight,  received  a  message 
from  him.  She  turned  to  Rebecca. 

"  O  my  fair  Jewess!  Marcius,  the  master,  craves  an 
audience  with  thee  in  the  hall  above." 

Chloe  then  conducted  her  up-stairs  into  the  presence 
of  the  Roman,  and  Saulus  followed  unbidden. 

Marcius  advanced  with  a  gracious  bow,  taking  no 
notice  of  the  boy. 

"  Methinks  thou  art  an  unexpected,  but  very  welcome 
guest." 

Rebecca  gave  no  answer,  but  drew  back  with  a  shud- 
der. 

"Come,  my  fair  one!  It  becometh  us  to  dispense 
with  formality.  Thou  hast  escaped  the  waves,  and  we 
give  thee  shelter  and  protection.  Welcome  to  these  fair 
halls.  As  the  poet  hath  sung :  — 

'  And  no  god  on  heaven  or  earth  — 
Not  the  Paphian  Queen  of  Mirth, 
Nor  the  vivid  Lord  of  Light, 
Nor  the  triple  Maid  of  Night, 
Nor   the   Thunderer's  self,  shall  be 
Blest  and  honor'd  more  than  thee!'' 

"O  thou  noble  Roman!"  said  the  Hebrew  lad,  open- 
ing his  eyes  wide  upon  Marcius.  "We  thank  thee  for 


THE  NET  IS  KENT  27 

thy  hospitality  to  the  children  of  Benoni;  and  now  we 
will  depart.  Peace  be  with  thee!" 

' '  My  young  son  of  Israel !  The  tempest  still  rages 
without.  The  night  is  chill  and  boisterous  for  thy  fair 
sister. " 

"We  mind  not  the  storm,  and  the  God  of  our  fathers 
will  be  with  us.  I  pray  thee,  let  us  depart  in  peace." 

The  Roman  deigned  no  reply. 

The  color  came  and  went  in  the  face  of  the  young 
Jew;  for  though  but  a  youth,  he  penetrated  the  smooth 
mask  of  the  Roman,  and  divined  his  treachery  and 
cruelty. 

Marcius  again  addressed  himself  to  Rebecca. 

"My  fair  Jewess!  Thou  shouldst  thank  the  gods  — 
or  thy  Hebrew  Jehovah  —  for  thy  deliverance  from  the 
cold  embrace  of  the  Cydnus.  We  offer  thee  warmth  and 
music  and  poetry  and  wine,  and  —  be  it  so  —  love,  whose 
cup  we  may  gently  quaff. " 

Rebecca  cast  a  beseeching  look. 

"  O  Roman  citizen  of  Tarsus!  I  pray  thee  bid  us  to 
depart.  We  fear  not  the  storm.  The  hearts  of  our 
father  and  mother  will  be  made  glad  by  our  return. 
The  Romans  have  honor!  We  will  now  go  in  peace." 

A  sullen  frown  was  the  only  reply. 

With  compressed  lip  and  fiery  blood  coursing  through 
every  vein,  Saulus  bent  his  gaze  upon  the  Roman,  but 
was  silent  from  the  very  intensity  of  his  thoughts. 

Marcius,  heated  by  the  wine  which  he  had  drunk  with 
Leander,  gradually  became  more  harsh  and  pitiless. 

"Doth  the  beautiful  Jewess  scorn  the  devotion  of  a 
patrician?  Ah!  The  divinity  of  the  son  of  Aphrodite 


28  VICTOR  SERENUS 

is  supreme!  The  Jewish  life  is  poor  and  barren!  The 
Roman  is  rich,  and  offers  thee  jewels  and  banquets,  and 
slaves  for  thy  service.  Away  with  thine  indifference, 
and  join  the  revelry  with  me  in  yonder  banquet-hall." 

"  Thou  base  and  brutal  Roman ! "  cried  Saulus.  "  Thou 
uncircumcised  heathen  and  idolater !  The  God  of  Abra- 
ham and  Isaac  and  Jacob  will  smite  thee,  and  deliver 
us  out  of  thy  hand." 

"Hebrew  stripling  of  the  house  of  Benoni!  Thy 
tongue  is  sharp!  Start  not!  I  only  ask  thy  sister  in 
marriage.  Think  of  an  alliance  with  patrician  blood! 
Remain  in  the  palace  with  slaves  to  do  thy  bidding! 
We  will  train  thee  in  all  the  graces  of  Greek  and  Roman 
art,  poetry,  and  music." 

Seeing  at  a  glance  that  he  had  made  no  impression, 
he  resumed  in  a  sarcastic  tone,  — 

"Thy  body  and  that  of  the  fair  one  will  be  vainly 
sought,  far  below,  amid  the  drift-wood  that  will  be  thrown 
upon  the  shore  by  the  swollen  Cydnus.  In  such  a  tem- 
pest, all  trace  of  the  children  of  Benoni  will  be  lost,  lost, 
rash  boy ! " 

Again  assuming  a  blandness  which  but  illy  concealed 
the  fierce  passions  which  were  burning  behind  it,  he 
continued,  — 

"Foolish  captives!  To  the  knowledge  of  your  tribe, 
the  Jewess  and  her  small  brother  have  been  swallowed 
up  by  the  tempest,  and  so  they  will  remain !  Be  it  so. 
But  I  promise,  if  ye  be  willing  captives,  every  luxury 
shall  be  heaped  upon  you.  Consider  well!  The  Roman 
builds  his  palace  with  massive  walls." 

The  children  of  Benoni  read  their  fate  as  in  an  open 


THE  NET  IS  RENT  29 

book.  A  Tarsian  house  of  iniquity  had  closed  around 
them.  As  they  glanced  about,  every  statue  and  picture 
and  idol  seemed  to  mock  them,  and  every  mirror  dupli- 
cated the  mockery.  O  cruel  fate !  Bare,  jagged  prison- 
walls  would  have  seemed  more  hospitable ! 

Did  this  strange  hour  belong  to  the  same  evening  in 
which  they  had  started  for  a  joyous  moonlight  excursion 
on  the  Cydnus?  Where  were  all  the  happy  dreams  of 
three  short  hours  ago  ?  Where  were  now  the  bright  pic- 
tures of  the  Holy  City,  the  Temple,  and  the  school  of 
the  great  Rabban?  Were  they  not  the  reality  and  this 
a  mere  hideous  dream? 

But  for  the  heat  of  the  wine,  it  seemed  as  though  Mar- 
cius  must  have  quailed  before  the  pure  indignation  of 
the  Hebrew  children. 

The  tempest  still  raged  without. 

Saulus  held  his  sister  tightly  by  the  hand;  and  though 
but  a  lad  in  stature,  he  stood  firmly  erect,  and  his  eyes 
shot  defiant  glances  at  Marcius.  Stirred  to  the  depths 
of  his  young  soul  by  the  baseness  of  the  Roman,  he 
seemed  to  live  through  years  of  experience  in  a  short 
hour. 

Marcius  seated  himself,  and  with  an  impatient  scowl 
waited  for  their  submission.  He  could  afford  to  give  a 
little  time,  because  there  could  be  but  one  possible  out- 
come. But,  though  master  of  the  palace,  with  all  to  do 
his  will,  he  glanced  uneasily  about,  as  if  the  walls  might 
have  ears.  He  looked  into  the  next  room  where  Leander, 
though  but  partially  stunned  by  his  blow,  was  lying  in  a 
stupor  of  intoxication.  He  then  resumed  his  seat,  and 
again  turned  towards  Rebecca. 


3O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  My  sweet  caged  bird,  why  ruffle  thy  plumage  more  ? 
Give  thy  Roman  lord  some  gracious  favor,  and  thou  shalt 
want  for  nothing.  The  tempest  which  rages  without, 
and  also  that  slight  commotion  which  disturbs  thine  own 
mind,  will  soon  be  stilled  and  forgotten." 

Rebecca  covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  while  Saulus 
exclaimed  with  a  strong  gesture, — 

"Jehovah  will  deliver  his  children!  We  are  his 
chosen  people ! " 

Then,  looking  upward,  he  cried, — 

"  We  await  thy  salvation  /" 

"  By  Bacchus !  Who  is  the  God  of  Israel  ?  But,  my 
impetuous  infant,  I  will  proceed  with  order  and  dignity. 
Willing  or  unwilling  captives?  Ha!  Now  for  a  final, 
sagacious  answer  before  the  sand  runs  through  this  small 
glass."1 

The  moments  slipped  away,  and  only  the  roar  outside 
broke  the  stillness. 

The  surging  of  human  passion,  the  constancy  of  affec- 
tion, the  happiness  and  misery  of  common  life,  the 
epochs  of  trial  and  triumph,  and  the  mystery  of  fate,  all 
span  the  wide  chasms  of  time  and  space.  Human  life  is 
one.  Its  outward  circumstances  may  be  never  so  varied, 
but  within  there  is  a  universal  correspondence.  Through 
some  shape,  in  the  evolution  of  character,  the  same  battles 
must  be  fought  and  the  same  victories  won.  Customs, 
races,  languages,  and  governments  come  and  go;  but 
love,  hate,  friendship,  passion,  vice,  and  virtue  remain. 
The  Present  is  only  the  Past  with  a  new  countenance. 

The  Hebrew  maiden  and  her  young  brother  remained 

1  A  ten-minute  hour-glass. 


THE  NET  IS  RENT  31 

firmly  unconquerable.  They  even  became  calm  and 
confident  with  assurance.  They  had  an  unmistakable 
vision  of  deliverance,  and  felt  that  it  was  at  hand.  Its 
form  or  manner  they  could  not  divine.  There  is  an 
intrinsic  faculty  which  awakens  in  some  souls,  and  takes 
hold  upon  the  future.  It  feels  coming  events  as  though 
they  were  already  present.  That  it  is  not  commonly 
developed  by  no  means  proves  its  non-existence.  It 
deals  with  great  crises  or  turning-points,  rather  than 
their  details. 

Marcius  sat  watching  the  tiny  stream  of  sand  as  it 
passed  through  the  small  orifice.  The  last  grain  had 
fallen. 

"Captives!  willing  or  unwilling?  " 

The  answer  came  from  an  unexpected  quarter.  A 
flash  of  forked  lightning  illumined  the  palace,  and  rent  it 
from  roof  to  foundation.  Marcius  was  prostrated  and 
lay  as  one  dead.  The  Hebrew  children,  though  stunned 
and  momentarily  unconscious,  soon  aroused  themselves. 
There  was  a  panic  in  the  palace,  and  a  hurrying  to  and 
fro  of  all  who  had  escaped  unharmed.  A  part  of  the 
slaves,  thinking  the  building  was  about  to  fall,  unbarred 
the  front  portal  and  hurried  into  the  street.  Saulus  and 
Rebecca,  hand  in  hand,  fled  down  the  broad  stairway, 
where  they  met  Chloe,  who  was  hastily  gathering  up  a 
few  valuables  before  making  her  escape. 

"The  gods  demanded  your  release,"  said  she;  and 
guiding  them  through  an  intricate  passage-way  to  the 
front  portal,  they  soon  found  themselves  in  the  street. 


32  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  V 

TWO   UNIVERSITY  STUDENTS 

"  Our  feet  are  standing 
Within  thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem 
Jerusalem,  that  art  builded 
As  a  city  that  is  compact  together : 
Whither  the  tribes  go  up,  even  the  tribes  of  the  Lord, 
For  a  testimony  unto  Israel, 
To  give  thanks  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
For  there  are  set  thrones  for  judgment, 
The  thrones  of  the  house  of  David." 

THE  great  Temple  which  crowned  the  summit  of  Mount 
Moriah  in  the  Holy  City  formed  the  visible  pivotal 
centre  of  Judaism,  and  was  the  pride  and  joy  of  every 
son  and  daughter  of  Israel.  It  was  surrounded  by  a 
broad  porch,  which  extended  entirely  around  its  four 
sides,  forming  a  most  imposing  feature  and  approach. 
Immediately  within  was  the  great  court  of  the  Gentiles, 
which  enclosed  the  more  exclusive  courts  and  the  Tem- 
ple proper.  Then  came  the  court  of  the  Women,  and 
next  beyond,  and  extending  on  three  sides  around  the 
court  of  the  Priests  and  inner  Temple,  was  the  court  of 
Israel.  Here  was  located  the  session-room  of  the  San- 
hedrin;  and  near  by,  or  adjoining,  was  the  great  lecture- 
room  of  Gamaliel.  This  eminent  Rabban  of  "the  school 
of  Hillel"  was  held  in  great  respect  for  his  wisdom;  and 


TWO    UNIVERSITY  STUDENTS  33 

the  most  promising  youth  of  the  tribes,  far  and  near, 
gathered  to  become  his  pupils.  While  a  legal  Israelite 
and  nominal  Pharisee,  he  was  tolerant,  and  permitted 
great  liberty  in  discussion.  His  students,  being  from 
many  different  provinces,  embraced  among  their  number 
not  only  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  of  different  grades,  but 
also  many  adherents  of  other  sects  and  philosophies. 
Some  of  the  Essenes,  Gnostics,  and  those  of  Hellenistic 
and  Aramaic  opinion  of  various  shades,  including  even 
Cyrenians  and  Alexandrians,  sent  their  sons  to  this 
famous  Hebrew  university.  Many  of  its  students  were 
quite  familiar  with  Greek  literature  and  philosophy. 
The  widespread  reputation  of  Gamaliel,  and  the  liberty 
of  private  opinion  which  he  permitted,  gave  his  school  a 
broad  and  cosmopolitan  character,  as  contrasted  with  the 
smaller  Rabbinical  schools,  which  often  simply  taught 
the  letter  of  the  Jewish  law.  It  was  an  "Assembly  of 
the  Wise,"  where  a  degree  of  freedom  was  enjoyed  which 
was  probably  unparalleled  in  its  era. 

Gamaliel  occupied  a  high  seat  or  tribune  in  his  as- 
sembly-room, while  his  students  were  grouped  around 
and  below  him,  literally  "at  his  feet."  At  stated  times 
there  were  dialectical  discussions,  when  he  was  more 
their  moderator  than  teacher. 

Perhaps  some  text  of  Old  Testament  Scripture  would 
be  taken  for  the  subject  of  commentary.  Various  inter- 
pretations were  then  given;  a  comparison  with  other 
religions  instituted,  aphorisms  defined,  different  writers 
compared,  allegories  translated,  and  opinions  and  author- 
ities quoted  and  discussed.  The  pupils  were  encouraged 
to  criticise  each  other,  and  to  question  the  Rabban,  and 
divergent  views  were  expressed  and  invited. 


34  VICTOR  SERENUS 

According  to  the  Talmud,  the  remarkable  body  ot 
Rabbinical  jurisprudence  could  well  be  compared  to  the 
Roman  body  of  civil  law,  or  even  with  English  common 
law,  in  the  vast  accumulation  of  precedents,  arguments, 
and  opinions.  It  included  not  merely  Jewish  theology, 
but  the  whole  civil  code  and  practice.  From  the  best 
accounts,  this  Hebrew  university  bore  some  resemblance 
to  the  discussions  of  Plato  in  the  Academy,  or  the  lec- 
tures of  Aristotle  in  the  Lyceum.  The  students  received 
an  excellent  training  in  dialectics ;  and  many  became  not 
only  good  logicians,  but  capable  of  felicitous  literary 
style  and  poetic  expression. 

In  the  university  there  were  incipient  sects,  parties, 
and  factions  of  various  shades,  often  with  their  recog- 
nized leaders  or  exponents.  The  great  Rabban,  within 
reasonable  limits,  encouraged  the  spirit  of  free  thought 
and  inquiry. 

Saulus,  being  of  ardent  temperament,  soon  became  not 
only  an  eager  and  untiring  student,  but  an  intense  par- 
tisan. He  rapidly  became  noted  for  his  powerful  invec- 
tive towards  his  opponents,  and  even  though  but  a  boy, 
was  so  jealous  of  the  traditions  of  the  fathers  that  many 
times  he  was  involved  in  disputes  and  quarrels.  In- 
tellectually acute  and  with  retentive  memory,  his  mind 
was  well  stored  with  "hard  sentences  of  old,"  and  con- 
firmatory quotations  from  the  Scriptures  were  always  at 
his  command.  Moreover,  he  gradually  became  belliger- 
ent, and  was  ready  to  fight  for  his  opinions.  Instead  of 
being  softened  or  modified  by  the  variety  of  elements 
which  surrounded  him,  he  grew  more  aggressive.  His 
intemperate  zeal  led  him  towards  intolerance  and  even 


TWO    UNIVERSITY  STUDENTS  35 

persecution,  so  far  as  his  position  rendered  it  possible. 
As  a  strict  literalist,  he  soon  persuaded  himself  that 
those  who  were  careless  of  the  letter  of  the  law  were 
accursed  of  God,  and  therefore  not  deserving  of  much 
mercy  at  the  hands  of  man. 

The  khan,  or  inn,  where  Saulus  and  a  few  other  ultra 
Pharisees  lived,  was  a  headquarters  for  zealous  literalists, 
and  fronted  upon  a  square  known  as  the  Sheepmarket, 
which  was  a  little  to  the  north  of  Mount  Moriah,  and  but 
a  short  distance  from  the  Tower  of  Antonia.  It  was  but 
a  few  minutes'  walk  from  the  Sheepgate,  which  was  one 
of  the  portals  in  the  city  wall  which  led  eastward  through 
the  Valley  of  Jehosaphat  to  Gethsemane  and  the  Mount 
of  Olives  beyond. 

Among  the  pupils  of  Gamaliel  was  one,  Victor  Serenus 
by  name,  who  had  become  the  recognized  leader  of  an 
important  following  in  the  assembly.  Although  three 
years  older  than  Saulus,  they  were  members  of  the 
same  class.  He  was  a  native  of  Alexandria,  Egypt,  and 
his  parents  were  liberal  Jewish  Hellenists.  He  was 
rather  tall,  well-proportioned,  of  blond  complexion,  and 
had  a  mass  of  wavy  chestnut  hair,  which  crowned  a  face 
and  head  of  ideal  form  and  expression.  The  sparkle 
and  clearness  of  his  dark  blue  eyes  indexed  a  delicate 
soul  and  noble  nature.  A  marked  repose  and  lofty 
bearing,  combined  with  brightness  and  optimism  in  his 
demeanor,  formed  a  combination  as  rare  as  it  was  attrac- 
tive. An  inward  purity  and  strength  of  soul  seemed 
tangibly  to  shine  out  through  his  physical  organism. 
He  had  early  possessed  the  advantages  of  the  best  intel- 
lectual culture  of  his  native  city,  and  was  an  intimate 


36  VICTOR  SERENUS 

friend  and  associate  of  Philo,  who  then  was  just  begin- 
ning to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  world-wide  reputation 
which  he  afterwards  gained  as  an  eminent  writer  and 
philosopher.  Though  not  a  member  of  any  Jewish  sect, 
he  was  familiar  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Gnostics, 
Essenes,  Therapeutae,  and  other  systems  of  the  Jewish 
dispersion.  Belonging  definitely  to  no  one  of  them,  he 
seemed  to  have  absorbed  a  large  measure  of  the  truth 
contained  in  all,  leaving  behind  their  limitations  and 
exclusiveness.  Soon  after  coming  to  the  Holy  City  to 
supplement  an  education  already  of  unusual  quality,  he 
gradually  became  the  recognized  leader  of  the  broadest 
and  most  liberal  element  of  the  assembly.  This  came 
about  not  from  any  aggressiveness,  but  from  innate 
quality  and  character,  the  power  of  which  could  not  be 
hidden. 

On  the  other  hand,  Saulus,  from  inherent  brilliancy 
and  great  force  of  character,  became  the  recognized 
champion  of  the  dogmatists  and  literalists.  It  naturally 
happened,  that,  in  the  free  discussions  which  were  per- 
mitted by  Rabban  Gamaliel,  Serenus  and  Saulus  found 
themselves  at  the  head  of  opposing  factions. 

The  seasons  flew  rapidly  by,  and  the  fourth  year  of 
Saulus's  life  in  the  Holy  City  was  drawing  to  a  close. 
Although  still  small  in  stature,  his  growth  in  mental 
acquirement  and  intensity  since  he  had  entered  the 
school  of  Gamaliel  had  been  remarkable.  His  rather 
insignificant  physical  appearance  had  considerable  com- 
pensation in  an  executive  talent  and  power  which  easily 
marked  him  as  a  born  leader  of  men.  With  plain  and 


TWO   UNIVERSITY  STUDENTS  37 

unattractive  features  of  the  pronounced  Jewish  type,  and 
a  mixture  of  pale  and  red  in  his  complexion,  he  was 
outwardly  commonplace;  but  when  enlisted  in  dispu- 
tation a  quick  flush  would  pass  over  his  countenance, 
and,  with  changed  expression,  the  commanding  dignity 
and  fire  of  his  bearing  would  astonish  all  beholders. 
Loyal  to  his  convictions  and  faithful  to  his  friends,  he 
was  at  the  same  time  intolerant,  impetuous,  and  terrible 
toward  all  whom  he  regarded  as  opposers  of  the  strictest 
Jewish  economy.  His  violent  temper  made  itself  felt 
in  his  orations  and  debates,  and  already  had  involved 
him  in  several  tumults  and  perils.  After  receiving  re- 
peated warnings  from  Rabban  Gamaliel,  he  had  barely 
escaped  formal  condemnation  and  dismissal.  Ten- 
dencies had  already  developed  and  antagonisms  been 
definitely  formed  that  were  destined  to  play  an  important 
part  in  coming  time. 

Since  the  brief  and  tempestuous  reign  of  Archelaus, 
the  son  and  successor  of  Herod  the  Great,  the  Roman 
Emperor,  Caesar  Augustus,  in  order  to  humiliate  the 
Holy  City,  had  removed  the  seat  of  the  Judean  govern- 
ment to  Caesarea,  Jerusalem  thereby  becoming  a  secon- 
dary provincial  city.  During  this  period  the  high  priest, 
Annas,  who  was  thoroughly  the  creature  of  the  Roman 
dominion,  kept  up  the  semblance  of  a  court  in  the  Hero- 
dian  palace  on  Mount  Zion.  Every  considerable  Judean 
town  and  city  was  garrisoned  with  Roman  soldiers.  The 
Tower  of  Antonia  was  held  by  a  strong  force,  and  Roman 
guards  kept  every  gate  of  the  city  and  palace.  Merciless 
taxation  and  exaction  kept  the  Jews  in  abject  subjugation. 
Having  lost  every  vestige  of  political  independence,  they 


38  VICTOR  SERENUS 

now  devoted  themselves  more  closely  than  ever  before  to 
the  complicated  ceremonialism  of  their  national  religion. 

Just  adjoining  and  opening  out  of  Gamaliel's  main 
auditorium  was  a  commodious  hall,  known  as  the 
Lyceum,  which  was  used  for  the  informal  disputations 
of  the  pupils  of  the  assembly.  Here  at  stated  times 
were  discussed  various  questions  of  philosophy,  law, 
theology,  and  especially  the  doctrines  and  interpretation 
of  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  On  these  occasions,  which 
were  quite  distinct  from  the  regular  and  official  exercises 
of  the  assembly,  some  one  of  the  students  often  pre- 
sided, and  the  sessions  were  open  to  the  public  of  all 
classes.  Here  were  often  gathered  Jews  of  high  and  low 
degree,  scribes,  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  and  publicans, 
both  from  the  city  and  provinces,  with  a  sprinkling  of 
Greeks  and  Romans;  so  that  not  infrequently  there  were 
seen  mingled  in  the  mass  the  broad  phylactery  of  a 
Rabbi,  the  gorgeous  costume  of  a  centurion,  or  the  gilded 
helmet  of  a  soldier  of  the  garrison.  The  Holy  City  was 
full  of  factions,  some  of  which  were  bigoted,  fanatical, 
and  even  bloodthirsty;  and  often  representatives  of  these 
classes  would  be  found  in  the  Lyceum,  drawn  thither  by 
the  warmth  and  excitement  of  the  disputations.  Nothing 
less  than  the  iron  grip  of  Rome  could  keep  all  these 
pent-up  elements  in  outward  order  and  subjection;  but, 
in  spite  of  all  repression,  outbreaks  and  persecutions 
were  frequent. 

Slightly  raised  and  back  of  the  tribune  from  which  the 
speakers  made  their  arguments  was  a  gallery  reserved 
for  women,  who  were  freely  admitted  to  these  informal 
debates. 


TWO   UNIVERSITY  STUDENTS  39 

The  Roman  rule,  though  politically  tyrannous,  was 
entirely  tolerant,  as  to  all  questions  of  philosophy  and 
religion,  so  long  as  its  own  political  control  was  not  dis- 
turbed. It  did  not  trouble  itself  about  the  institutes 
of  Moses,  the  Psalms  of  David,  the  messages  of  the 
prophets,  the  speculations  of  Greek  philosophy,  or  the 
doctrines  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  so  long  as  Caesar's 
mandates  were  unquestioned  and  his  tribute  willingly 
rendered. 


CHAPTER  VI 

TO   THE   TOWER   OF   ANTOKTA 
"  Whom  the  gods  destroy  they  first  make  mad." 

"GoD  is  a  jealous  God,  and  he  will  not  be  the  God  of 
the  heathen  until  they  submit  and  bow  to  him  as  the  God 
of  Israel !  They  are  accursed !  " 

It  was  the  voice  of  Saulus;  and  his  words,  uttered  in 
vehement  tones,  rang  through  the  Lyceum.  H  is  counte- 
nance was  flushed,  hands  tightly  clinched,  and  his  ges- 
tures violent. 

A  tumult  of  applause  followed  from  the  ultra-Phari- 
saical party,  who  were  all  partisans  of  Saulus. 

The  hall  was  thronged  with  a  motley  crowd  from  the 
streets,  including  people  of  all  degrees,  as  well  as  the 
pupils  of  Gamaliel.  The  disputation  was  one  of  un- 
wonted fervor,  so  that  several  were  finally  drawn  into  it 
who  had  come  in  only  as  lookers-on.  The  Rabban  was 
not  present;  and,  as  the  controversy  became  heated,  the 
young  student  who  was  presiding  found  it  impossible  to 
preserve  any  semblance  of  order. 

Victor  Serenus  arose  to  answer  the  argument  of  Saulus, 
who  had  ended  a  long  harangue  for  Jewish  exclusiveness 
with  the  words  above  given.  His  commanding  presence, 
serene  bearing,  and  perfect  self-command  caused  a  sud- 


TO    THE    TOWER   OF  AN  TON  1 A  4! 

den  hush.  With  dignified  mien  and  a  graceful  wave  of 
the  hand  he  commenced  his  argument. 

"I  bring  you  peace,  but  I  must  judge  righteously.  I 
also  am  a  Jew  of  the  Dispersion,  but  must  call  in  ques- 
tion the  conclusion  of  the  matter  as  given  by  my  friend 
Saulus.  As  a  native  of  Alexandria,  a  friend  of  Philo, 
and  a  disciple  of  the  eminent  and  tolerant  Rabban,  my 
voice  is  for  spiritual  freedom.  To-day,  O  fellow-mem- 
bers of  the  Assembly !  I  openly  wash  my  hands  of  the 
'  mint,  anise,  and  cummin  '  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees. 
I  hesitate  no  longer  to  boldly  affirm  the  truth  which  I 
have  long  felt  stirring  within  me.  The  traditions  taught 
by  the  scribes  and  elders  have  become  burdens  upon 
men's  shoulders  too  grievous  to  be  longer  borne.  God 
is  God  over  all,  and  no  respecter  of  persons.  He  is  not 
merely  a  tribal  Deity,  local  and  Jewish,  but  the  Father 
of  all  nations  and  peoples  to  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

The  liberal  faction,  including  a  few  Greeks  and 
Romans  who  were  scattered  among  the  throng,  signified 
their  approval,  while  the  adherents  of  Saulus  cried  out 
with  fierce  exclamations  of  condemnation. 

A  little  apart  from  the  common  seats,  in  the  gallery 
of  the  women,  was  a  place  especially  reserved  for  the 
wives  and  daughters  of  the  Rabban  and  his  friends. 
Here  was  seated  a  young  girl  who  was  an  interested  ob- 
server of  the  disputation.  As  we  shall  have  somewhat 
to  do  with  her  in  the  future,  a  brief  introduction  is  not 
amiss.  Her  features,  which  were  mildly  of  the  Jewish 
type,  were  very  regular  and  beautiful,  and  her  bearing 
and  expression  bore  evidence  of  grace  and  refinement. 
Her  form  was  of  medium  size,  willowy  and  symmetrical; 


42  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  from  under  rather  prominent  brows  and  lashes  shone 
out  large  soft  dark  eyes,  radiantly  expressive  and  ingenu- 
ous. She  was  in  the  early  flush  of  youth.  A  richly  em- 
broidered Syrian  gauze  scarf  was  wrapped  lightly  about 
her  head;  and  her  dark  locks,  which  slightly  curled,  were 
loosely  gathered  in  a  light  golden  clasp,  which  was  orna- 
mented with  pearls,  at  the  back  of  the  neck.  She  wore 
a  robe  of  delicate  hue,  which  was  clasped  lightly  about 
her  form,  simply  but  richly  ornamented.  While  out- 
wardly serene,  there  seemed  to  be  that  within  the  damsel 
which,  perchance,  could  be  stirred  into  a  tempest  of 
feeling,  and  melt  the  outward  reserve  by  its  warmth  and 
intensity.  If  there  was  the  slight  semblance  of  coldness, 
it  was  so  thin  as  to  be  almost  transparent.  She  bore  a 
dignified  air  of  quality,  not  as  signifying  pride  or  exclu- 
siveness,  but  as  if  the  outward  form  was  only  the  setting 
of  a  precious  gem.  A  spiritual  interpreter  would  have 
divined  the  subtile  individual  richness  as  rare  soul- 
quality.  But  withal  her  eyes  were  the  dazzling  feature 
of  her  whole  personality.  They  might  truly  be  defined 
as  both  melting  and  penetrative.  The  warmth  of  a  pure 
and  lovely  soul  was  poured  out  through  them. 

As  the  tumult  continued,  Victor  Serenus  turned  about; 
and  while  carelessly  surveying  the  throng,  his  glance 
met  that  of  the  damsel,  which  seemed  to  be  intently 
fastened  upon  him.  Serenus  was  thrilled,  as  by  an  elec- 
tric shock,  and  for  a  moment  forgot  the  uproar,  his  argu- 
ment —  himself.  The  innocent  cause  of  this  unwonted 
perturbation  was  Amabel,  the  only  daughter  of  the  Rab- 
ban.  The  clamor  of  the  throng  died  away,  and  Serenus 
quickly  recovered  himself  and  continued,  — 


TO    THE    TOWER   OF  ANTONIA  43 

"Judaism  must  have  a  higher  and  freer  development, 
for  the  spirit  of  the  law  hath  been  killed  by  the  letter. 
O  brothers  of  the  assembly!  We  must  free  ourselves 
from  an  entanglement  of  dead  ordinances  and  ceremo- 
nies, and  be  interpreters  of  the  truth,  not  only  to  the 
Gentiles,  but  to  the  families  of  Israel.  If  ye  have  an 
indwelling  experience  of  a  divine  faith,  the  outward  let- 
ter of  sacrifices,  anointings,  phylacteries,  and  disfigured 
faces  is  but  chaff  and  without  meaning.  O  my  broth- 
ers !  we  must,  from  the  heart,  have  such  a  purity  of  mind 
and  thought  that  our  very  bodies  shall  become  incarna- 
tions of  divinity.  A  true  revelation  of  the  Spirit  of 
Truth  is  not  vouchsafed  unto  the  worldly-wise  and  pru- 
dent, but  to  the  childlike,  the  poor  in  spirit,  and  the 
pure  in  heart.  The  heavenly  germ  is  within;  but  no 
man  knoweth  it,  until  it  be  quickened  into  life,  when 
it  bringeth  forth  a  witness  of  fruits,  —  love,  joy,  peace, 
and  healing.  I  adjure  you,  that  as  ye  live  unto  the 
flesh  or  even  after  ceremonial  traditions,  ye  shall  reap 
a  Gehenna  in  yourselves  and  in  your  members.  Ye  say: 
'  Behold  we  have  Abraham  to  our  father ; '  but  ye  are  not 
his  children  unless  ye  show  forth  his  spirit." 

"  Behold  the  blasphemer  !  "  cried  Saulus,  interrupting. 
"  He  sets  at  naught  the  religion  of  our  fathers,  and  re- 
viles the  God  of  Israel  !  He  slanders  the  priests  of  the 
Temple,  and  makes  light  of  the  Circumcision !  Away 
with  him  !  " 

Saulus  and  his  partisans  rose  up  to  lay  hold  of  him; 
but  in  a  moment  Serenus  was  surrounded  by  a  body  of 
defenders,  who  insisted  that  he  should  be  heard.  The 
clamor  increased  until  the  chairman  called  upon  a  cen- 


44  VICTOR  SERENUS 

turion,  who  was  in  the  midst,  to  order  the  tumult  stayed. 
The  Roman  captain  slowly  arose,  and  with  an  air  of 
mingled  dignity  and  disdain,  commanded  silence. 

"By  the  gods  of  Caesar!  Young  Hebrews,  to  your 
seats !  Be  ye  circumcised  or  uncircumcised,  the  Roman 
will  have  order,  and  save  you  from  each  other!  Silence! 
A  cell  in  yonder  Tower  gapes  for  him  who  doth  not 
heed!  Now,  young  disputant,  finish  thine  oration!" 

Victor  Serenus  still  stood  calmly  in  his  place  in  the 
tribune,  without  a  trace,  either  of  anger  or  fear,  in  his 
countenance.  The  noise  was  stilled,  and  he  resumed. 

"  Men  of  the  assembly,  and  friends  !  The  time  is  at 
hand  for  a  proclamation  of  righteousness.  We  declare 
that  the  cup  of  Pharisaical  hypocrisy  and  violence  is 
filled  to  the  full.  The  spirit  of  the  prophets  of  Israel 
is  worm-eaten  and  corrupted,  and  the  ordinances  of  the 
Law  have  become  a  stumbling-block.  I  proclaim  deliv- 
erance from  the  bondage  and  leadership  of  blind  guides. 
The  Jewish  economy  must  be  rent  in  twain,  and  the  true 
separated  from  the  false.  I  am  persuaded  that  our 
worthy  master,  the  Rabban,  discerns  signs  of  reforma- 
tion. I  proclaim  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth ;  for 
old  things  will  pass  away.  A  judgment  is  nigh,  and  will 
not  long  tarry.  The  God  of  the  whole  earth  is  to  be 
worshipped  by  Jew  and  Gentile  alike.  The  religion  of 
the  Hebrew  is  to  burst  its  bonds;  for  with  it  must  be 
mingled  the  best  of  the  philosophy,  mind,  and  ideals  of 
the  Greek  and  other  Gentile  nations.  The  many  shall 
become  as  one,  through  the  truth  which  sets  men  free. 
I  feel  the  spirit  of  prophecy  upon  me,  and  have  been 
constrained  to  give  it  utterance." 


TO    THE    TOWER   OF  ANTONIA  45 

He  involuntarily  turned,  and  the  maiden's  eyes  were 
still  radiantly  centred  upon  him. 

He  then  took  his  seat. 

The  chairman  arose,  and  beckoned  for  silence. 

"The  chief  disputants  having  made  their  arguments, 
the  discussion  is  now  open  to  others. " 

But  before  the  last  words  had  fallen  from  his  lips, 
Saulus  was  again  upon  his  feet 

"The  pestilent  Hellenist  is  a  base  traducer  of  the 
Chosen  People." 

A  tumult  was  again  raised ;  and  a  score  were  on  their 
feet  speaking,  or  beckoning  for  a  chance  to  be  heard. 

"Away  with  the  heretic!  " 

"Serenus  is  right!  " 

"  Down  with  the  Alexandrian !  " 

"Traitors  to  the  Law  of  Moses!  " 

"  The  zealots  are  mad !  " 

"Take  them  to  the  valley  of  Gehenna!  " 

"Blasphemer  of  the  holy  prophets!  " 

"Great  is  Serenus!     Defend  him!  ' 

"Kill  him,  and  do  God  service,"  cried  Saulus. 

Half  a  score  of  menacing  fists  were  stretched  out 
toward  Serenus,  while  as  many  more  forcibly  held  them 
back.  The  noise  of  the  tumult  drew  together  a  great 
rabble. 

The  second  outbreak  had  been  so  sudden  that  the  cen- 
turion was  taken  by  surprise,  but  he  again  made  himself 
heard. 

"Dogs  of  Jews!  "  he  cried,  "I  am  minded  to  let  ye 
devour  one  another  as  ye  deserve  !  " 

But  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  he  continued,  — 


46  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Rome  will  rule  the  circumcised,  if  they  cannot  rule 
themselves." 

Then  calling  upon  two  or  three  Roman  soldiers,  who 
were  among  the  throng,  he  gave  command,  pointing  to 
Saulus,  — 

"  Take  him  to  the  Tower!" 

The  rabble  were  awed  and  fell  back;  the  partisans  of 
Saulus  melted  away,  and  he  was  seized,  and  hurried  away 
to  the  Tower  of  Antonia. 


A    TARSIAN  FESTIVAL    TO  APOLLO  47 


CHAPTER    VII 

A    TARSIAN    FESTIVAL    TO    APOLLO 

THE  morning  was  bright;  and  a  light,  cool  breeze  from 
the  Taurus  mountains  swept  down  the  valley  of  the  Cyd- 
nus,  bathing  the  city  of  Tarsus  with  its  freshness.  The 
sun  had  just  risen,  and  was  beginning  to  quaff  his  fill  of 
mist  and  dew,  and  to  kiss  with  a  golden  sheen  the  towers, 
roofs,  sails,  and  masts  of  the  Cilician  metropolis.  But 
though  the  hour  was  yet  early,  the  city  was  already  astir. 
Buyers  and  sellers  in  the  open  markets  by  the  city  gates 
were  scattered  in  little  groups,  and  chaffered  over  their 
traffic  with  the  easy  air  of  Oriental  contentment.  The 
streets  and  lanes  wore  a  more  busy  aspect  than  was  wont ; 
and  the  number  of  people  in  festal  costumes,  hurrying  to 
and  fro  with  garlands  and  palm-branches  in  their  hands, 
betokened  a  general  holiday. 

"  As  sweet  and  musical 

As  bright  Apollo's  lute,  strung  with  his  hair; 
And  when  Love  speaks,  the  voice  of  all  the  gods 
Makes  heaven  drowsy  with  the  harmony." 

It  was  the  most  important  of  the  festivals  of  Apollo, 
and  was  celebrated  annually  by  a  grand  procession  to 
the  chief  temple  of  the  city;  followed  by  sacrifices, 
priestly  rites  and  ceremonies,  oracular  messages  and 


48  VICTOR  SERENUS 

predictions,  sorcery  and  soothsaying,  ending  at  night, 
with  orgies  which  characterized  the  Oriental  city  of  the 
period. 

The  main  temple  with  its  oracle,  consecrated  to  the 
gods  of  Tarsus,  was  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  large  gar- 
den in  the  extreme  northwestern,  or  most  elevated  part 
of  the  city.  It  commanded  a  charming  view  of  the  beau- 
tiful Cydnus  for  nearly  its  whole  length,  as  it  wound  its 
way,  like  a  silver  thread,  through  the  plain  in  its  course 
from  the  distant  mountains  to  the  sea.  The  ground 
about  the  temple  was  tastefully  laid  out  with  walks, 
vine-clad  summer-houses,  fountains,  grottos,  groups  of 
sycamore  and  palm  trees,  and  at  short  intervals  adorned 
with  statues,  vases,  and  other  creations  of  Greek  art  and 
handiwork. 

The  blossoms  of  the  bending  branches  of  spicy  plants 
loaded  the  air  with  sweet  odors,  which  held  the  visitor 
in  the  delicate  bonds  of  a  subtile  enchantment.  The 
oleander  and  jasmine,  rose  and  lilac,  tulip  and  lily,  each 
lent  its  charm  to  the  chorus  of  beauty  and  exhalation. 
Bounteous  Nature  was  drawn  upon  to  the  utmost  for  rich 
contributions  to  consecrate  Apollo's  great  temple-garden, 
and  enhance  its  mystical  fascination. 

In  threading  one's  way  through  this  sensuous  paradise, 
one  would  often  find  himself  at  the  entrance  of  some 
graceful  booth,  where  a  priest  or  priestess  of  Apollo 
would  dispense  love-philtres,  or  be  inquired  of  concern- 
ing the  misty  future,  peradventure  to  its  complete  un- 
veiling. 

The  temple  itself  was  built  of  Parian  marble,  and 
surrounded  by  a  porch,  with  a  row  of  lofty  Corinthian 


A    TARSIAN  FESTIVAL    TO  APOLLO  49 

columns  in  front,  and  a  corresponding  peristyle,  sur- 
mounted by  an  entablature,  stretching  out  from  either 
side.  The  pediments  were  richly  covered  with  designs 
in  alto-rilievo.  Among  them  were  representations  of 
Apollo,  Diana,  the  setting  sun,  Hercules  slaying  the 
Hydra,  Dionysus  and  a  Giant,  Fauns,  Bacchantes,  and 
triumphal  processions.  In  the  pronaos,  or  vestibule, 
there  was  a  series  of  broad  panels,  upon  which  were 
inscribed  maxims  from  the  Seven  Sages  of  Greece. 

Beyond  the  vestibule,  on  either  side  were  two  over- 
flowing fountains,  each  surrounded  with  statues  of  Triton, 
Neptune,  Amphitrite,  Apollo  slaying  the  great  serpent 
Pytho,  with  other  gods,  goddesses,  Nymphs,  and  Dryads. 
Invalids  who  drank  of  a  certain  fountain,  or  bathed  in  it, 
and  were  healed,  threw  pieces  of  money  into  it  as  a  rec- 
ompense. In  the  back  part  of  the  cella  was  the  great 
hearth  with  the  perpetual  fire;  and  in  the  adytum,  or 
inner  shrine,  were  the  sacred  tripod  and  other  mysteries 
of  the  sanctum.  Below  this  was  a  subterranean  chamber, 
from  the  sacred  recesses  of  which  ascended  the  vapor  of 
prophecy. 

The  oracular  messages  were  often  conveyed  by  dreams, 
preceding  which,  fasting  was  customary,  followed  by  sac- 
rifices, and  sleeping  upon  the  skin  of  the  animal  which 
had  been  offered.  Other  auguries  were  received  in  writ- 
ing, sometimes  by  means  of  the  "descending  pencil" 
which  hung  suspended,  and  wrote  by  invisible,  though 
intelligent  and  fateful  impulse.  Sealed  communications 
on  parchment  also  received  answers  from  occult  and 
mysterious  sources. 

Magic,  prophecy,  and  oracular  deliverances  were  not 


50  VICTOR  SERENUS 

peculiar  to  the  great  Oracle  at  Delphi,  but  common  in 
the  less  noted  temples  of  other  cities.  The  offices  of 
priest  and  soothsayer  were  blended.  The  favor  and 
guidance  of  the  gods  were  invoked  upon  every  under- 
taking, and  through  sacrifice  and  propitiation  offered 
their  friendly  aid  was  bestowed.  Nothing  was  under- 
taken without  their  sanction,  whether  going  to  war,  en- 
gaging in  business,  or  making  love.  The  healing  of 
invalids,  augury,  and  the  interpretation  of  visions,  were 
not  only  legal  and  ethical,  but  they  formed  an  integral 
part  of  religion. 

To  the  modern  student  of  mental  phenomena  it  is 
interesting  to  look  back  upon  the  multiform  manifesta- 
tions of  mind  in  the  past.  Under  the  reign  of  polythe- 
ism, everything  —  including  even  the  inner  psychological 
forces  that  are  common  to  all  —  was  deified.  Each  phe- 
nomenon was  due  to  the  action  of  some  "god."  But 
after  all,  when  we  get  below  the  surface  of  things,  is  the 
change  a  very  radical  one  ?  The  "god,"  with  them,  is 
some  divine  orderly  law  with  us.  Either  term  involves 
the  idea  of  a  force  which  is  more  or  less  mysterious. 
They  were  destitute  of  the  understanding  of  the  inherent 
unity  and  inter-relation  of  all  things,  and  consequently 
each  phenomenon  was  disconnected  from  its  relations, 
and  directly  credited  to  a  special  deity.  There  was  no 
idea  of  a  great  comprehensive  Unit.  The  universe  of 
mind  and  matter  was  a  fragmentary  mass.  Its  various 
factions  were  presided  over  by  deities  who  were  often 
warring  against  each  other.  The  great  modern  inspira- 
tion is,  not  only  cosmic  oneness,  but  universality  of  law. 
Even  the  monotheism  of  the  Jew  was  largely  mechanical 
and  incongruous. 


A    TARSI  AN  FESTIVAL    TO  APOLLO  5 1 

Law  as  all  pervading  with  the  latest  refinement — its 
unvarying  beneficence,  when  correctly  interpreted  —  fur- 
nishes the  key  which  will  resolve  age-long  mysteries. 
With  the  present  understanding  of  the  creative  power  of 
mental  states,  and  the  potency  of  thought,  even  when 
set  in  motion  by  motives  of  pure  superstition,  much  of 
the  remarkable  phenomena  of  the  past  can  be  interpreted 
and  rendered  congruous.  The  prophecies,  oracular  mes- 
sages, healings,  divinations,  soothsaying,  and  other  "mi- 
raculous "  transactions  of  history,  though  doubtless  often 
exaggerated,  have  an  important  basis  of  truth.  They  are 
in  accord  with  the  legitimate  or  illegitimate  use  of  laws 
now  measurably  understood.  As  we  become  increasingly 
aware  of  the  possibilities  of  hypnotism,  telepathy,  the 
sub-conscious  mind,  suggestion,  psychical  development, 
and  spiritualistic  experiences,  the  strange  things  of  both 
ancient  and  later  times  are  seen  to  be  natural  and  ex- 
plainable. The  so-called  "  supernatural "  was  just  what 
might  have  been  expected  under  the  known  conditions. 
There  was  no  suspension  of  universal  law,  but  only  the 
orderly  result  of  real  forces  which  exist  in  man,  even 
though  often  unrecognized  and  misused. 

Under  both  the  Gentile  and  Jewish  economies,  there 
was  an  endless  mass  of  occurrences,  attributed  to  special 
deific  intervention,  but  all  belong  to  the  realm  of  the 
one  Divine  unchangeable  and  universal  order.  This  has 
never  been  suspended  and  never  will  be,  for  God  does 
not  contradict  himself.  Prophets  and  priests  could  per- 
form "wonderful  works"  through  the  medium  of  princi- 
ples which  they  could  not  define.  Miraculous  colorings 
are  always  in  the  eyes  of  the  beholder.  Human  equip- 


52  VICTOR  SERENUS 

ment,  which  has  had  much  unintelligent  employment,  is 
now  clearly  interpreted. 

But  withal,  it  may  be  questioned,  whether  it  be  not 
better  to  attribute  too  much  to  "the  gods  "  than  —  like 
some  moderns  —  to  become  so  coldly  agnostic  and  pseudo- 
scientific  as  to  deny  everything  which  is  above  the  plane 
of  the  material  and  sensuous. 

"  The  gods  favored  thee,  fair  lady." 

These  words  were  addressed  to  Rebecca,  the  daughter 
of  Benoni. 

She  turned  to  see  from  whence  they  came. 

"Say  not  the  gods,  my  good  woman,  but  the  God  of 
Israel." 

Rebecca  and  her  father  were  returning  from  the  morn- 
ing service  of  the  synagogue,  and  had  halted  for  a  moment 
to  make  some  trifling  purchase  at  a  small  bazaar.  Re- 
becca observed  that  the  woman  who  had  spoken,  and 
who  seemed  to  be  an  assistant  in  the  bazaar,  was  survey- 
ing her  with  unwonted  interest. 

"  What  would'st  thou  ?  "  said  the  Jewish  maiden. 

"  Forgive  me,  but  thy  sweet  face  brings  a  terrible  vision 
before  me.  Thou  hast  not  forgotten  the  palace  and  the 
storm  1 " 

The  scene  of  two  years  before  flashed  upon  her.  A 
shudder  ran  through  her  frame.  Her  color  fled,  and  for 
a  brief  moment  she  again  lived  over  the  tragic  ex- 
perience. But  waving  aside  the  hideous  recollection, 
she  quickly  commanded  herself,  and  greeted  Chloe 
with  a  warm  salutation,  and  then  turning  to  her  father, 
said,  — 


A    TARSIAN  FESTIVAL    TO  APOLLO  53 

"O  my  father!  this  is  the  woman  who  led  our  way  out 
of  the  lion's  den." 

"  The  blessing  of  the  God  of  The  Chosen  People  be 
upon  thee,"  said  Benoni.  "His  thunderbolts  and  your 
good  guidance  gave  me  back  my  scions.  Art  thou  yet  a 
slave?" 

"Alas  !  I  am  still  in  bondage." 

"I  will  pay  thy  ransom;  and,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  shalt 
serve  in  my  house  for  liberal  hire." 

Chloe  fell  on  her  knees,  and  with  tears  of  grati- 
tude thanked  her  kind  benefactor  in  the  name  of  all 
the  gods,  but  was  again  reminded  of  the  Hebrew  Je- 
hovah. 

Just  then  the  distant  echoes  of  cymbals,  trumpets,  and 
songs,  which  betokened  the  coming  of  the  great  festal 
procession,  fell  upon  the  ears  of  the  trio.  It  was  mani- 
fest that  its  line  of  march  was  to  be  directly  through  the 
street  into  which  the  portal  of  the  bazaar  opened,  wheze 
they  were  standing.  Casting  their  eyes  down  the  long 
vista  toward  the  approaching  column,  they  were  spell- 
bound by  its  grandeur  as  it  threaded  its  way  with  slow 
elastic  rhythm  through  the  crowded  thoroughfare.  It 
was  on  its  joyous  march  to  the  garden  and  temple  of 
Apollo. 

Benoni  was  first  to  break  the  silence. 

u  Verily,  the  heathen  rage  and  imagine  a  vain  thing, 
but  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  shall  yet  be  sore  vexed." 

Soon  the  thud  of  hoofs  and  the  rumble  of  wheels  be- 
tokened a  company  of  charioteers  which  composed  the 
advance  division  of  the  pageant.  Each  chariot  was 
richly  decorated  with  chaplets  and  ribbons,  and  drawn 


54  VICTOR  SERENUS 

by  three  horses  abreast,  of  the  same  color,  all  gorgeously 
caparisoned. 

The  charioteers  were  chanting  a  chorus  :  — 

"Since  life's  so  short,  we'll  live  to  laugh, 

Ah !  wherefore  waste  a  minute ! 
If  youth's  the  cup  we  yet  can  quaff, 
Be  love  the  pearl  within  it !  " 

Near  the  front,  and  abreast  of  each  other,  were  two 
charioteers  who  merit  a  description  somewhat  more  in 
detail.  The  prancing  steeds  driven  by  one  were  snowy 
white,  and  those  of  the  other  jet  black.  The  driver  of 
the  latter  was  tall  and  erect,  with  head  thrown  back, 
long  black  curly  hair,  dark  complexion,  strong  face, 
Roman  nose,  and  a  physical  organization  which  might 
be  the  envy  of  an  athlete.  His  head  was  bare,  with  the 
exception  of  a  wreath  of  myrtle,  likewise  his  throat, 
arms,  and  legs  below  the  knee.  His  tunic  was  of  crim- 
son fabric,  woven  of  silk,  gathered  by  a  girdle  of  gold 
chain,  and  clasped  in  front  by  an  elaborate  jewelled 
ornament. 

The  other  was  more  delicate  in  complexion,  with  wavy 
brown  hair,  dark  blue  eyes,  and  refined  features  of  the 
Grecian  cast.  A  chaplet  of  laurel  encircled  his  brow, 
his  throat  and  arms  were  bare,  and  an  easy  gracefulness 
characterized  every  movement.  The  skirt  of  his  belted 
tunic,  of  soft  white  woollen  fabric,  dropped  to  the  knee, 
and  was  decorated  with  a  border  of  gold  embroidery. 
The  throat,  arms,  and  legs,  where  exposed,  had  a  pearly 
whiteness  which  betokened  a  perfect  service  of  baths, 
oils,  and  polishing.  He  was  lighter  in  build  and  less 


A    TARSI  AN  FESTIVAL    TO  APOLLO  55 

stern  in  demeanor  than  his  companion,  and  there  was  a 
sparkle  in  his  eyes  which  certified  to  a  warm  and  poetic 
temperament.  They  had  arrived  at  a  point  just  opposite 
where  the  three  were  standing,  when  Chloe  gave  a  start, 
and  turning,  grasped  the  arm  of  Rebecca. 

"See!  see!     It  is"  — 

But  the  fair  Jewess  recognized  them  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, and  quickly  turned  her  back  upon  the  cruel  faces 
of  hateful  recollection. 


56  VICTOR  SEREMUS 


CHAPTER  VIII 


TARSUS  gave  itself  up  with  full  abandon  to  the  festi- 
val. The  Tarsian  religion  of  the  period,  though  out- 
wardly adorned  by  the  polish  of  Greek  art,  letters,  and 
philosophy,  was  largely  orgiastic  and  Oriental  in  its  in- 
ternal character.  The  popular  faith  contained  a  strange 
mixture  of  Greek,  Roman,  Phrygian,  Phoenician,  and 
even  Egyptian  elements,  for  the  mingling  of  which  the 
intermediate  situation  of  the  Cilician  metropolis  was 
especially  favorable.  In  Greece  itself,  a  terrible  deca- 
dence had  taken  place  since  the  earlier  philosophy  and 
idealism  of  Pythagoras,  Socrates,  and  Plato;  but  in  Tar- 
sus, the  religion,  though  nominally  Grecian,  was  per- 
meated with  the  fanaticism  and  magic  of  Eastern  cults. 
It  was  sensual,  superstitious,  and  spectacular,  though  it 
had  an  iridescent  Hellenic  film  of  grace  and  beauty. 

But  with  all  the  depravity  of  the  period,  there  was  a 
spontaneity  and  natural  optimism,  which,  while  not 
atoning  for  its  excesses,  should  not  be  left  out  of  the 
account.  A  hard  and  narrow  asceticism,  which  during 
mediaeval  ages  made  life  "a  bed  of  spikes,"  was  the 
future  great  sweep  of  the  human  pendulum  to  the  other 
extreme.  If  there  was  less  seriousness,  there  was  at  the 
same  time  less  pessimism  and  morbidity.  The  ripening 


THE   MYSTERIES   OF   THE   ADYTUM  $? 

process  in  humanity  is  a  matter  of  millenniums,  and 
only  in  the  broad  sunshine  of  the  higher  evolutionary 
philosophy  can  proper  adjustments  and  allowances  for 
wide  vibrations  be  made. 

The  law  of  correspondence  is  universal.  The  relation 
between  the  seen  and  the  unseen  is  not  only  intimate  but 
perfectly  fitting.  The  soul,  whether  of  low  or  high  at- 
tainment, has  its  extension  into,  and  connection  with, 
spiritual  forces  of  its  own  quality  and  on  its  own  plane. 
By  a  subtle  mysterious  union,  each  mingles  with  its 
own.  Like  attracts  like.  But  yet  lives  of  selfishness 
and  sensuality  have  within  them  the  germs  of  finer  in- 
stincts; and  sooner  or  later,  when  needed  lessons  have 
been  learned,  there  will  be  a  drawing  upward  of  the 
divinity,  now  latent  within,  toward  its  transcendent 
correspondence,  even  though  the  recognition  long  be 
dim. 

Evil  is  a  misdirection  of  forces  within  that  are  good 
per  se. 

Every  one  has  some  supreme  ideal ;  and  for  the  pres- 
ent this  concept,  even  though  low  and  limited,  is  to  him 
godlike — in  fact,  his  god.  Human  ideals  of  God  are 
ever  to  rise  and  become  more  perfect,  for  man  has  all 
potentiality  within  him. 

Linked  with  all  the  corruption  of  the  sensuous  age  in 
question,  there  was  a  strong  impulse  toward  worship. 
Pantheism  recognized  a  divine  ordination  of  all  possible 
unseen  forces,  as  well  as  seen  objects;  and  then,  in  order 
not  to  miss  the  fulness  of  religion,  it  erected  altars  to 
the  "unknown  God."  The  instinct  of  deific  devotion 
was  great  in  quantity,  but  low  in  quality.  The  sacred 


58  VICTOR  SERENUS 

mysteries  were  all  absorbing,  but  took  little  hold  upon 
the  moral  nature., 

Weighed  by  the  delicate  but  immutable  balances  of 
thought-quality,  the  morals  of  the  various  ages  might 
not  be  so  dissimilar.  Vice  is  no  less  vice  when  it  is 
secretive.  The  world  has  learned  to  dissemble.  Before 
the  present  age  can  greatly  boast  of  its  own  moral  purity, 
as  compared  with  that  of  the  past,  it  must  apply  the 
inner  as  well  as  the  external  test.  Even  low  instincts, 
when  idealized  and  sanctified,  are  in  some  measure  puri- 
fied by  the  quality  of  thought  concerning  them.  If  by 
the  accepted  ethics  of  one  age,  a  certain  course  of  con- 
duct be  not  only  regular  but  correct,  and  by  those  of 
another  low  and  vile,  who  shall  declare  that  their  moral 
quality  is  identical?  Judgment,  to  be  just,  must  be 
tempered,  or  at  least  somewhat  relative  rather  than  ab- 
solute. An  age  which  held  that  every  real  force,  sex- 
principle,  and  sensuous  or  artistic  instinct  was  some 
manifestation  of,  or  in  close  relation  with  the  Deity,  or 
deities,  should  be  studied  in  the  clarifying  light  of  the 
evolutionary  philosophy. 

While  the  majority  of  the  Tarsian  population  did  not 
join  the  procession,  they  generally  surrendered  fully  to 
the  exuberant  spirit  of  the  occasion,  thereby  pleasing 
themselves  and  gaining  the  favor  of  the  gods.  The 
morning  was  superb ;  and  the  great  moving  human  pano- 
rama began  to  unroll  itself  from  the  lower  part  of  the 
city,  in  a  stream,  kaleidoscopic  in  its  changes,  toward 
the  temple.  The  chariots,  in  column  two  abreast,  led 
the  way,  crowding  back  the  dense  mass  of  people  on 
either  side,  thereby  clearing  a  path  for  the  less  resistant 


THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  ADYTUM  59 

portions  of  the  great  procession.  These  were  followed 
by  companies  of  men,  dressed  in  various  symbolic  cos- 
tumes, bearing  offerings  and  instruments  which  pertained 
to  the  mysteries  of  prophecy,  music,  poetry,  and  medi- 
cine, and  the  other  arts  and  muses.  Some  bore  banners, 
inscribed  with  occult  signs  and  emblems ;  others  swung 
smoking  censers  with  a  slow  rhythmical  measure  which 
corresponded  to  the  march.  Then  followed  a  long  pro- 
cession of  girls,  chanting  and  dancing  to  the  measured 
time  of  the  music  of  tabourets  and  harps  which  vibrated 
to  their  own  light  touch.  Their  long  hair  was  thrown 
loosely  back  to  the  soft  breeze ;  their  faces,  necks,  and 
arms  fully  exposed  to  the  sunlight,  and  their  lithe, 
shapely  forms  and  white  limbs  were  but  lightly  veiled 
by  free-flowing  pink  or  golden-hued  robes.  There  were 
priests  wearing  tall  cone-shaped  hats,  and  priestesses 
with  hair  coiled  and  intertwined  with  symbolic  leaves, 
flowers,  and  garlands,  some  wearing  charms  and  amu- 
lets, and  waving  their  wands  to  the  beat  of  the  move- 
ment. Some  bore  bunches  of  grapes  or  other  fruits,  and 
others  carried  small  cornucopias  of  spices  and  sweets  for 
their  rich  odors  and  for  consumption  upon  the  altars 
which  were  about  the  temple.  There  were  also  cows, 
sheep,  and  goats,  bedecked  with  trappings,  ribbons,  and 
garlands,  for  sacrifice,  or  other  symbolic  ceremonies  and 
priestly  rites. 

Everything  beautiful  in  nature, —  its  flowers,  trees, 
birds,  air,  and  sunshine,  lent  their  charm  for  the  enrich- 
ment of  the  service  to  the  Tarsian  gods,  and  the  honor 
of  their  temple.  The  chariots  of  Marcius  and  Leander 
were  prominent  in  the  procession,  side  by  side. 


60  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Shades  of  Daphne!  Marcius,  I  saw  old  Chloe,  and 
a  beautiful  young  Jewess  with  her,  in  the  rabble  just 
past." 

"  Ah !  I  have  seen  the  features  of  that  charmer  before ! 
Mine  eyes  deceive  me  not!  Dost  thou  recall  the  storm, 
the  lightning,  the  crash,  and  thine  own  discomfiture? 
Methinks  thou  wert  dreaming  at  that  particular  moment." 

"  By  Pallas !  I  am  not  unmindful  that  the  gods  kept  us 
from  a  threatened  descent  to  the  shades  of  Pluto." 

"Ah,  my  gallant!  But  with  that  I  cannot  forget  that 
the  cage  was  rent,  and  the  bird  flew  out." 

"  Send  regrets  to  the  breezes,  stern  Roman !  The  Muse 
whispers  that  we  may  yet, — 

'  Wreathe  then  the  roses,  wreathe, 
The  Beautiful  still  is  ours ; 

While  the  stream  shall  flow,  and  the  sky  shall  glow, 
The  Beautiful  still  is  ours.'" 

"  A  truce  to  thine  overflowing  poetic  sentiment,  Leander ; 
but  to  return  to  events.  Dost  thou  think  that  old  Chloe 
recognized  us?" 

"  Peradventure  not,  though  her  eyes  are  sharp ;  but 
what  recks  it?  Doubtless  she  thinks  we  perished  in  the 
ruin,  else  she  would  have  returned.  The  dead  has 
buried  its  dead." 

"But  the  dead  sometimes  rise,  my  effeminate  Greek." 

"Dost  thou  believe  in  spirits?" 

"Too  well  I  know  them.  They  are  more  in  number 
than  the  gods." 

"What  of  signs,  omens,  and  dreams?" 

"I  believe  the  most  impossible  dreams  may  become 
true." 


THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  ADYTUM  6 1 

"Dost  thou  think  there  are  life  and  feeling  and  motion 
beyond  the  Styx,  Marcius  ?  " 

"Shades  of  Hades!  I  do.  But  I  would  rather  be  a 
slave  beneath  the  sun  than  a  king  in  the  Cimmerian 
regions  of  the  under- world. " 

"  I  believe  nothing,  Marcius.  Thou  art  superstitious. 
Show  me  a  shade  from  the  under-world,  and  I  will  give 
him  a  hearty  greeting. 

'  Away  with  your  stories  of  Hades, 
Which  the  Flamen  has  forged  to  affright  us. 
We  laugh  at  your  three  Maiden  Ladies, 
Your  Fates  —  and  your  sullen  Cocytus.'  " 

"  A  graceful  turn  to  a  shady  subject,  and  quite  worthy 
of  thine  ever  ready  Muse.  But,  nevertheless,  shades  there 
are,  my  poet,  and  perchance  they  may  yet  give  thee  an 
unwelcome  greeting." 

"Black  or  white,  I  invite  them! 

'  Oh !  blest  be  the  bright  Epicurus, 

Who  taught  us  to  laugh  at  such  fables ; 
On  Hades  they  wanted  to  moor  us, 
But  his  hand  cut  the  terrible  cables.' " 

"  We  approach  the  temple.  I  have  heard  that  in  the 
mysterious  recesses  of  the  adytum  one  may  receive,  not 
only  responses  from  the  Oracle,  but,  perchance,  messages 
from  the  ghosts  of  the  departed.  Wilt  thou  enter  the 
inner  shrine,  and  envelop  thyself  in  the  vapor  of  mys- 
tical enchantment?" 

"I  will  gladly  greet  all  the  shapeless  spirits  that  come, 
even  an  endless  procession,  but  I  count  them  dull  and 
insipid.  Give  me  shapely  form  and  graceful  feature!  I 
quaff  real  wine  and  not  an  empty  goblet." 


62  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  We  will  penetrate  to  the  heart  of  the  mysteries  and 
inquire  our  fate.  The  gods  grant  us  an  unveiling. 

"  But  see !  We  arc  a';  the  end  of  our  route,  and  the 
temple  with  all  its  riches  is  before  us.  Thou  hast 
managed  thy  steeds  well,  luxurious  Greek.  Charioteer! 
poet !  gallant !  and  now  seeker  of  mysteries! " 

The  procession  wound  gracefully  through  the  peristyle 
on  one  side  and  back  on  the  other,  thence  into  the 
avenues  of  the  great  garden,  finally  losing  itself  and 
melting  away  in  its  intricate  mazes. 

After  sending  away  their  chariots  by  attendants,  Mar- 
cius  and  Leander  lingered  for  some  time  among  the 
bowers  and  grottoes  of  the  temple  grounds. 

Among  the  bewildering  charms  of  the  garden  was  a 
shimmering  pond  in  its  midst,  the  banks  of  which  were 
decked  with  groves  of  lotus  and  blooming  rose-trees. 
Clustered  around  the  numerous  statues,  delicate  jets  of 
perfumed  water  threw  up  their  fine  spray,  and  loaded  the 
air  with  aromatic  fragrance.  Graceful  shallops,  shaped 
like  swans  or  fish,  moved  about  in  the  pond,  filled  with 
lightly  draped  rowers  of  both  sexes,  whose  gilded  oars 
kept  time  to  the  music  of  harps  and  citharae,  played  by 
girls  in  unnumbered  smaller  craft  which  circled  around 
them.  Some  were  dressed  as  Sirens,  covered  with  green 
net-work  in  imitation  of  scales.  Trooping  out  from 
among  high  clusters  of  plants  and  flowers  were  groups 
disguised  as  Fauns,  Satyrs,  Nymphs,  and  Dryads,  playing 
on  tabourets,  drums,  flutes,  or  tambourines.  The  water 
of  the  pond  responsively  heaved  to  the  rhythm  of  oars 
which  beat  in  unison.  As  night  drew  on,  the  echoes  of 
voices,  horns,  and  trumpets  grew  louder;  and  the  votaries 


THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  ADYTUM  63 

of  Bacchus  and  Venus,  amid  shouts  and  laughter,  threw 
all  restraint  to  the  winds.  On  the  shores  and  terraces 
shone  swarms  of  lights,  while  other  parts  of  the  groves 
were  dark  and  hidden. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  Marcius  and  Leander, 
satiated  and  sobered  by  the  excesses  of  the  day,  entered, 
arm  in  arm,  the  pronaos  of  the  temple.  On  each  side 
were  low  seats,  comfortably  cushioned ;  and  by  a  mutual 
impulse  they  sat  down  for  a  little  rest  before  penetrating 
farther  into  the  interior.  The  Roman  seemed  in  a 
dejected  mood.  His  black  eyes  were  heavy  and  dull; 
and  his  mien,  usually  so  haughty  and  imperious,  was 
tame  and  passive.  He  turned  towards  Leander. 

"  Life  is  a  hollow  mockery.  When  shall  my  eyes  open 
to  the  true  Olympus,  where  real  gods  make  their  abode  ? 
I  feel  a  strange  unrest,  and  confess  myself  weary  of  the 
Tarsian  deities." 

"  Ah,  my  high  and  mighty  Marcius !  Thou  art  down- 
cast to-night.  Get  rid  of  thyself, —  that  is,  drive  away 
thy  thoughts." 

"  My  thoughts  are  too  deep  to  be  rooted  out.  They 
hold  me  in  thraldom !  Genius  decays  \  Vice  van- 
quishes virtue!  How  will  it  all  end?  What  has  the 
unseen  future  in  store  for  us  ? " 

"Leave  the  future!  The  gods  serve  us  to-day  as  we 
serve  them.  To-day!  to-day  is  all! 

'  If  hope  is  lost  and  freedom  fled, 
The  more  excuse  for  pleasure.'  " 

"By  all  the  divinities  of  Rome!  Nothing  less  than 
the  oars  of  Charon  himself  will  ever  break  thine  ever- 


64  VICTOR  SERENUS 

lasting  trail  of  poetry.  But  a  truce  to  thy  chatter !  Let 
us  to  the  Mysteries  and  inquire  our  respective  fates !  " 

"Perchance  they  will  brighten  thy  spirits  and  calm 
thy  temper." 

Slowly  rising,  they  made  their  way  into  the  cello,  of  the 
temple. 

The  perpetual  fire  was  burning  upon  the  great  sacred 
hearth;  and  before  it  were  a  few  persons  who  had  pros- 
trated themselves,  each  waiting  the  slow  turn  for  their 
introduction  to  the  inner  Mysteries.  The  cella  was  un- 
lighted  save  by  the  fitful  glare  of  the  fire  on  the  hearth. 
The  strange  symbols  and  inscriptions  which  covered  the 
walls  and  ceiling  produced  a  weird  and  unearthly  effect. 

In  a  recess,  just  above  the  fire,  were  great  gilded,  in- 
terlaced triangles,  and  over  those  the  symbolic  Winged 
Globe.  These  were  surrounded  with  divine  monograms, 
emblems  of  the  powers  of  Nature.  On  the  ceiling  was 
a  large  design  of  the  crux  Ansata,  the  oldest  known  hie- 
roglyph, also  the  Greek  divine  Logos  representing  inner 
illumination.  The  walls  were  covered  with  other  mys- 
terious characters,  —  the  key  of  Hermes,  the  serpent  in 
a  circle,  cabalistic  names,  a  talisman  of  Pythagoras, 
monogram  of  Fire,  or  the  generative  principle,  symbol- 
isms of  the  divine  Wreath,  hieroglyph  of  Eros,  mono- 
grams of  the  three  Delphic  mysteries  and  the  re-born 
soul.  Harps  of  yEolia  which  hung  in  the  valves  of  the 
outer  walls  filled  the  air  with  sweet  and  plaintive  melody 
in  fitful  measure. 

Marcius  and  Leander  waited  for  a  full  hour  at  the 
sacred  fire  for  the  numbers  to  be  called  which  would 
give  them  their  turn  for  an  introduction  to  the  inner 


THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  ADYTUM  65 

Mysteria  Sacra.  A  feeling  of  awe  gradually  crept 
through  their  souls  —  a  sense  of  having  left  the  world 
behind.  Unseen  influences  were  bearing  down  upon 
them.  The  hieroglyphs  seemed  alive  and  engaged  in 
an  ominous  dance,  frowning  upon  them  and  calling  them 
to  judgment.  They  grasped  each  other's  hands,  and 
looked  into  each  other's  eyes  to  reassure  themselves. 

At  length  the  number  of  Marcius  was  called,  and  he 
was  ushered  into  the  adytum.  The  valve  closed  be- 
hind him;  and  as  he  passed  forward,  there  hung,  directly 
overhead,  a  great  flaming  symbol  of  the  Mysteria  Eleu- 
sinia.  Its  brightness  slowly  faded  until,  in  a  little  time, 
it  only  cast  a  dim  blue  ghastly  light  in  flashes,  so  that 
he  could  see  but  indistinctly.  He  was  impelled  still  far- 
ther on,  and  soon  a  cool  breeze  swept  gently  up  from 
cavernous  depths  below.  The  walls  melted  and  retreated ; 
and  the  courageous  Roman,  nearly  overcome,  pinched 
himself  to  find  if  he  were  still  in  the  body.  He  invol- 
untarily turned  to  retreat,  but  the  valve  had  disappeared. 

"Am  I  alive  ?  or  is  this  Hades?  " 

But  see!  a  vapor  ascends  in  the  dim  blue  light  from 
the  cavernous  realm  below.  It  winds  itself  upward,  and 
anon  within  it  there  are  great  forbidding  and  uncanny 
Shapes;  and  with  bedeviled  mien,  leering  faces,  and  omi- 
nous gestures  they  beckon  to  Marcius. 

Soon  a  pungent  aromatic  odor  diffused  itself  through 
the  air,  which  mysteriously  stilled  his  excited  senses  so 
that  he  regained  his  wonted  composure. 

The  column  of  vapor  rolled  itself  up,  growing  more 
dense,  and  anon  something  like  a  defined  form  slowly 
gathered  itself  together  from  it.  For  a  little  time  the 


66  VICTOR  SERENUS 

dim  misty  light  only  revealed  indistinct  outlines ;  but  soon 
it  grew  clearer,  and  advanced  a  step  toward  Marcius,  a 
part  of  the  vaporous  cloud  forming  a  soft  background. 
The  transformation  now  became  rapid,  and  anon  there 
stood  before  him  a  beautiful  young  woman.  With  a  flash 
of  recognition  the  heart  of  the  Roman  leaped  to  his 
throat. 

"Marcius!" 

"Alethea!" 

The  light  increased  ;  and  the  form,  in  every  detail, 
stood  out  with  lifelike  color  and  distinctness.  She 
wore  a  long  silvery  white  robe,  the  folds  of  which  were 
lightly  gathered  by  a  girdle,  and  swept  in  easy  lines  to 
her  feet.  The  bare  neck,  arms,  and  shoulders  were  of  a 
pale  rose-color  or  flesh-tint,  and  the  bosom  palpitated 
with  emotion.  The  face  was  clear,  calm,  and  natural, 
with  an  expression  of  sadness  about  the  eyes;  and  the 
blond  hair,  thrown  lightly  behind  the  shoulders,  reached 
below  the  waist.  There  was  breath  and  life. 

"Alethea!  Dost  thou  still  live?  Was  thy  death,  then, 
an  idle  tale  ?  Whence  earnest  thou  to  this  place  ?  " 

"Marcius!  I  come  from  the  world  of  spirits." 

"  Surely,  thou  art  no  ghost!  Thy  bosom  heaves  with 
life,  and  thine  eyes  glisten  with  warm  emotion.  Let  me 
again  fold  thy  beautiful  form  to  my  breast,  and  feel  thy 
warm  breath;  for  I  love  thee  still." 

"Marcius!  thou  wert  false,  heartless  —  cruel!  I  loved 
thee  with  a  pure  and  single  devotion.  After  deceiving 
me,  thou  didst  cast  me  off." 

"Oh,  say  not  so!  Try  me  once  again  and  I  will  be"  — 

"  Nay,  thy  time  has  past.     Thou  art  incapable  of  love, 


THE   MYSTERIES   OF   THE   ADYTUM  6/ 

and  it  shall  remain  unknown  to  thee.  Thy  baseness 
hath  blasted  it  forever!  From  henceforth  the  world 
shall  be  to  thee  a  wilderness." 

"Alethea!  curse  me  not!  Thou  art  living  flesh  and 
blood !  Thou  hast  not  died !  Come  to  me  once  more !  " 

"  Marcius,  I  curse  thee  not  !  but  mortals  must  reap  as 
they  have  sown." 

"Not  so!  I  will  persuade  thee!  Alethea,  thou  shalt 
again  be  mine!  " 

He  advanced,  and  clasped  her  in  his  embrace.  But 
his  arms  encircled  only  the  thin,  cold  air. 

It  grew  suddenly  dark,  and  voices  and  groans  and 
shrieks  echoed  from  all  directions.  Thrusting  his  rin- 
gers in  his  ears,  and  with  a  chill  which  penetrated  to  his 
very  bones,  he  turned  and  fled  to  the  cella. 


68  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   IX 

SOLILOQUY   OF   GAMALIEL'S   DAUGHTER 

"  If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand  forget  her 
cunning." 

THE  tumultuous  concourse  at  Gamaliel's  Lyceum  dis- 
persed; and  Saulus  was  conveyed,  under  guard,  to  the 
Tower  of  Antonia.  Amabel,  who  had  remained  in  her 
seat,  catching  every  note  of  the  disputation  with  intense 
interest  until  its  end,  stole  quietly  through  the  boisterous 
throng  as  it  hurried  into  the  street,  and  rapidly  made  her 
way  toward  home.  The  palace  of  her  father,  the  Rabban, 
was  situated  on  Mount  Zion,  a  little  to  the  northeast  of 
the  palace  of  Herod,  and  commanded  a  fine  view  of  the 
Holy  City  and  its  environs.  As  she  passed  into  the 
entrance-hall,  she  started  directly  to  acquaint  her  father 
with  the  scene  at  the  Lyceum,  but  found  herself  stirred 
by  emotions  so  unusual  that  she  was  impelled  to  pass 
the  portal  of  his  library,  and  go  quietly  to  her  own  apart- 
ment. She  must  have  time  to  think.  The  air  seemed 
oppressive ;  and  she  hurriedly  made  her  way  to  the  house- 
top, where  there  was  a  secluded  nook  to  which  she  often 
resorted  for  study  and  meditation.  Throwing  herself 
into  an  easy  seat,  which  was  sheltered  by  a  light  canopy, 
she  mechanically  looked  down  upon  the  gilded  towers, 
domes,  and  white  roofs  which  were  spread  out  below. 


SOLILOQUY  OF  GAMALIEL'S  DAUGHTER        6g 

The  sun,  which  was  just  sinking,  seemed  to  linger  a 
little  upon  the  summit  of  the  western  mountains,  sport- 
ively shooting  back  his  rays,  and  tinting  through  and 
through  the  fleecy  cloud-forms  which  hung  lightly  over 
the  city,  burnishing  its  bastioned  walls  and  battlements. 
Just  across  the  valley  of  the  Cheesemongers,  and  crowning 
the  summit  of  Mount  Moriah,  was  the  great  Temple,  with 
its  endless  courts,  each  marked  by  long  rows  of  white 
marble  columns,  and  proudly  lifting  itself  in  the  midst 
of  all,  the  Holy  of  Holies,  wearing  a  crown  of  beaten 
gold.  Here  was  the  head  and  heart  of  Judaism,  includ- 
ing its  religion,  history,  law,  prophecy,  and  patriotism, 
now,  alas !  shackled  by  the  heavy  hand  of  Rome,  so  that 
even  the  simplest  daily  ritual  was  only  possible  by  the 
gracious  permission  of  the  enemy.  From  the  valley  im- 
mediately to  the  north  the  Towers  of  Mariamne,  Phasag- 
lus,  and  Hippicus  lifted  their  proud  heads;  while  to  the 
east,  beyond  the  Kedron,  the  bold  steeps  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  scantily  clothed  with  fig-trees  and  wild  olives, 
were  softened  and  bathed  in  a  purple  haze,  the  parting 
gift  of  the  orb  of  day.  Jerusalem,  and  the  mountains 
round  about  her,  were  suffused  with  an  ambient  air  of 
peace  and  serenity. 

But  the  soul  of  Amabel  did  not  reflect  the  calm  of  the 
world  outside.  She  gave  but  a  passing  glance  to  the 
familiar  surroundings  which  were  wont  to  be  so  attrac- 
tive, because  a  new  world  within,  but  just  discovered, 
demanded  attention. 

As  the  loving  and  dutiful  daughter  of  the  Rabban, 
she  was  loyal  to  her  religion  and  people.  She  had  been 
reared  and  educated  in  the  light  of  its  more  liberal 


7O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

teachings,  and  was  deeply  interested  in  their  promulga- 
tion and  dominance.  But  the  broader  spiritual  liberal- 
ism of  Victor  Serenus  appealed  deeply  to  her.  She 
started  to  review  his  earnest  arguments,  but  was  surprised 
to  find  that  her  thoughts  constantly  glanced  from  the 
oration  to  the  orator.  After  several  attempts  at  calm 
reasoning,  Amabel  became  impatient  with  herself.  In- 
tellectually gifted,  she  never  before  had  failed  in  the 
efficient  command  of  her  faculties.  Her  interest  in  reli- 
gion had  been  vital,  and  her  devotion  thorough;  but  all 
at  once  they  seemed  to  have  faded  in  the  light  of  a  new 
vision  which  proved  rudely  aggressive.  Again  she  tried 
to  gather  up  the  eloquent  line  of  reasoning;  but  anon  a 
mental  image,  its  noble  bearing,  graceful  gestures,  manly 
form,  and  most  peculiarly  "those  eyes  "  seemed  fastened 
upon  her. 

"What  have  I  to  do  with  thee?  " 

Her  own  question  gave  her  a  shock. 

"My  logic  never  before  hath  denied  me  service.  Thou 
mysterious,  stately,  haunting  stranger!  Why  doth  thine 
eyes  shine  upon  me,  and  thy  form  possess  my  imagina- 
tion? I  bid  thee  adieu!" 

But  beyond  her  control  something  had  taken  shape  and 
life,  and  stood  before  her,  at  the  sight  of  which  she  was 
thrilled  and  spellbound.  It  was  an  Ideal  —  her  Ideal. 

"Away,  airy  phantom!     I  will  be  myself!  " 

But  an  ideal  that  fits  its  place  takes  possession.  It 
persistently  makes  itself  at  home,  and  receives,  not  only 
deserved  recognition,  but  a  conscious  or  unconscious 
welcome. 

She  tried  to  step  outside  of  herself  and  look  in,  in 


SOLILOQUY  OF  GAMALIEL'S  DAUGHTER        /I 

order  to  interpret,  if  possible,  the  vision  from  an  im- 
partial standpoint.  Its  charm  was  not  lessened. 

A  mind  may  be  deeply  intuitive,  and  even  philosophi- 
cal, and  yet  nai've  and  artless.  With  a  delightful  and 
childlike  simplicity,  Amabel  was  unconscious  of  her 
own  loveliness. 

She  threw  aside  the  light  scarf  from  her  head  ;  and  her 
hair,  somewhat  disordered  by  the  light  breeze,  played 
about  the  ivory  neck  which  her  light  robe  partially  dis- 
played. Her  cheeks  were  flushed,  and  her  large  dark 
eyes  unwontedly  shining  and  liquid.  Again  she  turned 
her  gaze  within.  More  truly,  the  new  and  mysterious 
Thing  which  had  possessed  her  was  there,  rather  than  in 
the  distance.  Its  correspondence  or  occasion  might  be 
without,  but  it  was  a  subjective  force  which  stirred  the 
Hebrew  maiden's  heart.  There  was  a  new,  unfathomable, 
and  heavenly  quickening.  Something  had  been  awakened 
which  no  power  on  earth  could  turn  back  to  its  native 
slumbering  latency. 

The  evening  drew  on,  but  she  was  unconscious  of  the 
flight  of  time.  A  charming  and  divine  unrest,  which  she 
could  not  dislodge  if  she  would,  filled  her  soul.  O 
daughter  of  humanity!  who  shall  interpret  thee  to  thy- 
self? 

She  looked  out  upon  the  lamps  that  twinkled  over  the 
Holy  City,  but  saw  only  the  Ideal.  The  soft  evening 
breeze  that  fanned  her  cheek  whispered  of  it,  and  even 
the  starry  heavens  smiled  upon  her  and  reflected  it  back. 

The  time  sped  on.  Amabel  was  missed  from  the 
evening  family  repast;  and  it  was  only  after  some  appre- 


72  VICTOR  SERENUS 

hension  and  search  that  she  was  aroused  from  her  revery, 
and  took  her  accustomed  place '  in  the  household.  It 
was  taken  for  granted  that  she  had  been  sleeping. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  Victor  Serenus  made 
his  way  to  the  palace  of  Gamaliel,  and  sought  an  au- 
dience with  the  Rabban.  This  was  not  difficult  for  any 
member  of  the  assembly ;  and,  besides,  Serenus  was  in- 
fluential and  favored.  He  was  cordially  received,  and 
after  being  shown  to  a  seat  proceeded  to  unfold  the  pur- 
pose of  his  visit. 

"Most  worthy  Rabban,  I  crave  thine  indulgence  for 
this  liberty,  but  would  make  a  request  in  behalf  of  a 
fellow-student. " 

"What  would'st  thou,  Serenus?  " 

"Perchance  thou  hast  received  a  report  of  the  tumult 
which  took  place  yesterday  at  the  Lyceum. " 

"  I  have  been  informed  of  the  disorder,  and  also  of  the 
arrest  of  Saulus." 

"  It  is  this  which  prompted  me  to  call,  and  petition  for 
thy  clemency  and  intervention  in  his  behalf." 

"  Was  he  not  the  leader  of  the  disturbance,  and  did  he 
not  insult  and  attack  thee  ?  " 

"  It  was  as  thou  sayest." 

"Doth  not,  then,  his  punishment  seem  fitting?" 

"Most  excellent  master,  it  is  plain  that  such  would 
be  the  regular  order  of  procedure.  A  centurion  was 
witness  to  the  offence,  and  gave  order  for  the  arrest. 
But  yet  I  seek  thy  intervention  for  his  pardon  and  re- 
lease." 

"I  do  not  understand  thee,  Serenus!     Would'st  thou 


SOLILOQUY  OF  GAMALIEL'S  DAUGHTER        J$ 

have  me  set  at  naught  the  ends  of  justice,  even  when 
administered  by  the  unrighteous  Roman?" 

"  Pardon,  noble  teacher,  but  Saulus  is  young  and 
vehement.  His  zeal  hath  hidden  his  wisdom,  and  I  am 
persuaded  that  by  this  hour  he  may  repent.  He  is  ex- 
ceeding jealous  for  the  faith  of  the  Chosen  People,  even 
though  the  spirit  be  swallowed  up  by  the  letter." 

"  Is  he  still  thy  opponent,  or  dost  thou  come  to  me  at 
his  request  ? " 

"  Worthy  Rabban,  as  my  opponent,  I  forgive  him.  He 
is  unaware  of  my  petition,  and  I  would  that  he  be  not 
informed  of  the  same." 

"Serenus,  thou  art  a  noble  student,  goodly  in  spirit 
and  conduct,  even  though  thou  seemest  to  have  but  light 
regard  for  our  traditions.  I  commend  thee  for  thy  good- 
will toward  thy  fellow-disciple,  and  will  freely  grant  thy 
request.  I  am  persuaded  that  I  can  compass  his  release 
without  formal  trial,  for  his  transgression  is  of  slight 
moment  to  the  Romans.  It  was  but  an  excess  of  youth- 
ful zeal." 

Serenus  was  about  to  take  his  leave,  when  Amabel 
hastily  entered  the  library  to  make  some  slight  request 
of  her  father.  It  was  too  late  to  retreat,  and  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  she  unexpectedly  found  herself 
face  to  face  with  her  own  heroic  mystery  of  the  pre- 
vious evening.  The  Rabban  had  a  kind  heart,  and 
without  hesitation  presented  his  gifted  pupil  to  his 
daughter. 

Serenus  made  a  graceful  salutation,  and  at  once  recog- 
nized the  radiant  eyes  which  had  so  disconcerted  him  at 
the  Lyceum.  He  was  about  to  quietly  withdraw,  feeling 


74  VICTOR  SERENUS 

that  the  forced  introduction  gave  no  warrant  for  conver- 
sation, when  Amabel  broke  the  silence. 

"  I  was  present  at  the  debate  yesterday,  and  much  in- 
terested in  thine  argument." 

"Ah!  I  recall  thy  face  as  one  that  I  noticed  in  the 
gallery  of  the  women,  but  was  unaware  that  it  was  the 
daughter  of  the  Rabban  who  thus  honored  me." 

"Both  thy  reasoning  and  calm  self-command  were 
much  to  thy  favor,"  she  softly  replied;  and  then  the 
thought  of  her  boldness  disconcerted  her,  and  brought  a 
sudden  flush  of  rich  color  to  her  cheeks. 

A  thought  flashed  upon  Serenus,  "  How  beautiful !  " 
but  the  conversation  was  not  further  continued. 

But  immediately  regaining  his  composure,  he  gra- 
ciously thanked  the  Rabban  and  his  daughter,  and  took 
his  leave.  But  those  large  liquid  eyes  haunted  him. 
They  seemed  to  be  the  outlet  for  a  beautiful  soul  which 
spoke  through  them. 

Gamaliel  repaired  to  the  Tower  of  Antonia;  and  as 
no  charge  of  violation  of  Roman  law  had  been  entered 
against  Saulus,  the  Rabban 's  plea  that  the  offence  was 
but  a  youthful  misdemeanor  was  sufficient,  and  the  young 
Jew  was  set  free.  He  was  only  made  aware  that  he 
received  his  liberty  through  the  influence  of  Gamaliel, 
and  at  once  inferred  from  this  intercession  that  the 
master  was  willing  to  forgive,  or  perchance  approve,  his 
over-zealous  conduct  on  account  of  his  unwavering  faith- 
fulness to  doctrine. 

After  a  light  reprimand,  he  passed  out  from  beneath 
the  frowning  battlements  of  the  Tower,  and  returned  to 
his  lodging  in  the  Sheepmarket.  A  warm  greeting  was 


SOLILOQUY  OF  GAMALIEL'S  DAUGHTER        75 

given  by  the  innkeeper  and  his  family.  They  were  sur- 
prised to  behold  him  at  liberty;  and  Cassia  was  unwont- 
edly  joyful,  but  her  swollen  eyes  gave  evidence  of  recent 
weeping. 

The  family  of  Almon  were  Pharisees  of  the  strictest 
sect ;  and  the  inn  was  the  resort  of  a  faction,  composed 
of  certain  members  of  the  assembly,  of  whom  Saulus  was 
the  acknowledged  leader  and  champion. 

"My  young  friend,"  said  Almon,  warmly  saluting  him, 
"how  didst  thou  so  soon  loosen  the  iron  grip  of  the 
Roman?" 

"Verily,  mine  host  Almon,  the  Rabban  takes  care  of 
his  own.  Even  the  Gentile  tyrant  holdeth  him  in  respect. 
I  am  persuaded  that  his  immediate  intercession  may  be 
a  sign  that  the  heresy  of  that  apostate,  Serenus,  is  to  be 
overthrown. " 

"Were  the  keepers  at  the  Tower  kind  to  thee  during 
thy  captivity  ? "  inquired  Cassia,  with  deep  interest. 

"Fair  Cassia,  I  suffered  no  harm  at  their  hands." 

"Surely,  thou  art  wearied,  and  must  needs  have  rest 
and  nourishment  speedily." 

"  My  rest  and  refreshment  will  be  to  bring  to  naught 
the  betrayers  of  the  faith  of  Israel,  whether  of  the  Jews 
or  Gentiles !  " 

The  maiden  kept  her  fan  in  rapid  motion,  and  nodded 
her  satisfaction. 

"Caesar  hath  his  foot  on  our  necks,"  continued  Saulus; 
"but  the  time  draweth  nigh  when  it  will  slip,  and  we 
shall  arise.  We  are  the  seed  of  Abraham;  and  though 
every  Roman  were  a  Caesar,  we  shall  throw  off  our  yoke. 
The  keepers  of  covenants  will  inherit  their  promised 


76  VICTOR  SERENUS 

rewards,  and  the  pulse  of  every  Hebrew  throbs  at  the 
coming  deliverance.  By  the  light  of  Judean  prophecy, 
I  have  a  vision  of  the  proud  Roman  as  trodden  dust." 

"May  the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun  be  hastened," 
said  Almon,  "when  the  Circumcision  shall  inherit  the 
earth !  But,  O  Lord  of  our  fathers !  how  long  ?  The 
tramp  of  Roman  legions  shakes  the  land  until  it  trembles 
like  a  threshing-floor  beaten  with  flails !  The  breast  of 
the  Holy  City  is  bruised  with  hammers  until  her  blood 
flows,  and  she  is  covered  with  wounds !  Our  holy  places 
are  contemned,  the  oil  of  our  anointing  is  wasted,  and 
our  burnt  offerings  are  defiled !  " 

"It  is  even  so,  O  Almon;  but  Jehovah  will  spoil  the 
power  of  Rome,  and  the  sophistry  of  the  Greek  will  be 
an  abomination.  The  horns  of  the  Altar  will  be  exalted, 
and  the  Gentile  bow  to  the  wisdom  of  the  Jew.  But  the 
heathen  never  knew  the  God  of  Israel,  and  therefore  can- 
not forget  him.  Cursed,  and  thrice  cursed  be  those  who 
have  learned  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  then  turn  and 
make  light  of  them.  Caesar's  hordes,  in  their  ignorance, 
pay  homage  to  their  vile  divinities;  but  the  reprobate 
Serenus  and  his  followers  befoul  our  traditions,  and 
abundantly  deserve  a  resting-place  in  the  valley  of 
Gehenna.  But  for  the  heavy  hand  of  Tiberius,  the 
Circumcision  might  now  purify  itself,  and  cast  out  its 
own  dregs." 

At  the  first  pause,  the  little  Cassia  again  put  in  a  plea. 

"O  my  father!  Saulus  must  be  faint  and  weary. 
The  food  which  I  have  bespoken  awaiteth  him." 

The  hour  was  not  yet  come  for  the  common  midday 
repast;  so  Saulus  followed  her  to  the  inner  court,  and 


SOLILOQUY  OF  GAMALIEL'S  DAUGHTER         T] 

Cassia  with  her  own  hands  brought  a  wooden  platter 
upon  which  were  some  thin  cakes,  with  honey,  figs,  and 
olives,  and  a  small  silver  amphora  of  wine.  She  watched 
him  with  satisfaction  while  he  partook  of  the  frugal 
repast. 

"  We  have  missed  thee,  Saulus.  We  wot  not  but  some- 
thing terrible  had  befallen  thee." 

Her  face  was  childlike  and  tender,  and  she  seemed 
filled  with  gladness  at  his  deliverance. 

"Little  one,  thou  art  kind  to  think  of  me." 

There  was  a  quickening  in  his  heart-beat,  and  he  drew 
a  long  breath  as  he  gazed  upon  her  happy  smile  and 
dimpled  cheeks.  Her  slight  form  was  lithe  and  shapely; 
her  large  eyes,  arched  by  drooping  lids,  downcast,  and 
the  full  ripe  lips,  carelessly  parted,  seemed  like  those 
of  a  child.  But  in  the  soft  air  of  Judea,  and  under  the 
genial  warmth  of  an  Oriental  sun,  children,  like  plants, 
blossom  early. 

''Saulus,  thou  art  brave!  No  other  man  so  valiantly 
defendeth  the  religion  of  our  fathers.  Would  that  I  had 
been  at  the  Lyceum  to  witness  thy  valor ;  for  of  all  young 
Hebrews,  thou  art  the  most  gifted. " 

"  Thou  dost  honor  me  too  much,  little  daughter  of  the 
house  of  Almon !  But  thou  art  a  graceful  flower  in  the 
garden  of  Israel." 

He  looked  into  her  sweet,  innocent  face,  and  reverently 
took  her  hand,  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips;  then  quickly 
turning,  went  out,  and  again  passed  near  the  frowning 
Tower,  upon  which  he  cast  a  momentary  scowl,  as  he 
made  his  way  up  to  the  assembly  on  Mount  Moriah. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  there  was  to  be  a 


78  VICTOR  SERENUS 

meeting  of  the  society  of  the  Urim.^  This  was  a  secret 
Pharisaic  organization  composed  of  certain  pupils  of 
Gamaliel.  Some  were  regular  lodgers  at  the  inn,  but  the 
larger  part  were  dwellers  in  other  houses.  Saulus  had 
been  chosen  chief  officer,  and  its  members  were  his  zeal- 
ous partisans.  Their  place  of  meeting  was  in  an  upper 
hall  in  which  about  threescore  persons  could  comfortably 
convene.  Though  in  an  adjoining  building,  it  could  only 
be  entered  from  the  inn  of  Almon.  To  reach  it,  it  was 
necessary  to  ascend  to  the  roof,  and  pass  through  a  long 
covered  passage-way,  thence  through  a  small  vestibule  or 
anteroom. 

The  society  designed  to  give  Saulus  a  warm  and  befit- 
ting reception,  in  acknowledgment  of  his  valor  shown 
upon  the  day  before,  and  to  becomingly  celebrate  the 
release  of  their  leader  from  the  hated  Tower. 

The  evening  arrived,  and  the  gathering  was  of  un- 
wonted interest,  and  the  ardor  uncurbed.  As  they  passed 
in,  the  members  identified  themselves,  one  by  one,  by 
a  certain  symbolic  phrase  and  gesture,  given  to  the  door- 
keeper; and  soon  the  room  was  well  filled.  When  all  had 
assembled,  the  doors  were  barred  so  that  there  could  be 
no  intrusion  from  without. 

1  Professor  Plumptre  supposes  the  Urim  to  have  been  "a  clear  and 
colorless  stone  set  in  the  breastplate  of  the  high  priest  as  a  symbol  of  light, 
answering  to  the  mystic  scarab  in  the  pectoral  plate  of  the  ancient  Egyptian 
priests,  and  that  the  Thummim  was  an  image  corresponding  to  that  worn 
by  the  priestly  judges  of  Egypt,  as  a  symbol  of  truth  and  purity  of  motive. 
By  gazing  steadfastly  on  these,  he  may  have  been  thrown  into  a  mysterious, 
half-ecstatic  state,  akin  to  hypnotism,  in  which  he  lost  all  personal  con- 
sciousness, and  received  a  spiritual  illumination  and  insight." 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:  STRANGE    VISIONS     79 


CHAPTER   X 
MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:  STRANGE  VISIONS 

MAGIC  is  limited  to  no  race,  age,  or  condition. 
Whatever  the  religion  or  ethical  system  of  a  people, 
there  are  —  underlying  and  intermingled — many  in- 
tangible and  occult  elements  that  are  common  to 
humanity.  Often  the  modern  world  comes  into  recog- 
nition of  some  veiled  principle  or  potentiality,  and 
marks  and  christens  it  de  novo,  believing  it  to  be  an 
original  discovery.  A  deeper  investigation,  however, 
reveals  evidences  of  its  power  and  presence,  extend- 
ing backward  indefinitely.  Both  the  real  mysteries 
and  the  superstitions  that  prevail  during  successive 
epochs  change  their  form  of  manifestation,  but  a 
slight  excavation  shows  that  the  same  psychical  germs 
and  roots  are  indigenous  to  every  soil. 

The  Hebrews,  like  other  races,  made  research  among 
all  that  is  latent  and  mystical  in  nature  and  man. 
Although  more  has  been  written  regarding  the  magic 
and  occultism  of  the  Chaldeans,  Persians,  and  Greeks, 
yet  a  search  in  the  light  of  the  Present,  through  the 
ancient  Hebrew  writings,  shows  them  to  be  crowded  with 
accounts  of  psychical  phenomena,  though  expressed  in 
historic  terms.  These  were  counted  as  supernatural, 
which  signified  beyond  the  realm  of  law,  and  outside 


80  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  the  logical  relation  of  cause  and  effect.  This  view 
has  continued  in  large  degree  down  to  the  present 
time.  It  was  supposed  that  Jehovah  was  constantly 
revealing  himself  by  special  volition  through  dreams, 
visions,  trances,  voices,  and  signs;  and  spirits,  both 
good  and  evil,  are  of  frequent  mention.  Their  chrono- 
logical distance,  together  with  a  preternatural  glamour 
which  has  been  cast  upon  them,  has  caused  their 
recorded  phenomena  to  seem  unique  or  special,  rather 
than  universal.  But  they  are  intermingled  with  every 
system  of  worship  which  the  world  has  known. 

Even  the  revelation  of  the  divine  has  come  through 
inward  states  of  consciousness  rather  than  by  outward 
observation.  This  is  its  orderly  method.  The  mind 
of  man  is  ever  sounding  its  own  hidden  deeps,  and 
striving  to  bring  to  light  its  infinite  wealth  of  funda- 
mental and  occult  mysteries.  It  instinctively  feels  that 
there  is  a  divine  inlet  at  its  profound  centre. 

Creative  art  is  ever  transcending  the  real  in  its  search 
for  the  coming  ideal.  Even  Nature  herself  is  sub- 
servient to  the  mastery  of  Mind.  A  true  magic  is 
divine  ;  while  its  inversion  and  abuse,  —  sometimes 
called  black  magic,  —  in  the  very  nature  of  things, 
kindles  Tartarean  pains  and  penalties. 

Genius  can  never  be  satisfied  with  the  world  as  it 
is,  therefore  it  can  and  must  make  a  new  one.  Science 
discovers  and  classifies ;  while  art,  which  is  but  the 
name  for  active  human  imaging,  is  divine  in  that  it 
creates.  Next  in  value  to  a  seen  Utopia  is  one  which 
can  be  conjured  into  existence,  and  such  is  awaiting 
every  one's  command. 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:    STRANGE    VISIONS     8 1 

But  magic,  as  commonly  defined,  is  a  two-edged 
instrument.  Misused,  it  becomes  evil  genii,  who  sum- 
mon foul  shapes,  and  clothe  them  with  realism.  Pas- 
sions, hates,  and  evil  imagings  in  the  mist  of  mind 
sometimes  become  solidified  embodiments  that  haunt 
and  persecute  their  creators.  He  who  peers  into  the 
raging  billows  of  a  disorderly  imagination  beholds 
monsters  into  which  he  has  breathed  the  breath  of  life. 

The  secret  society  of  the  Urim  had  assembled,  and 
the  doors  were  closed.  Their  meeting-place  was  a  re- 
markable occult  study,  for  every  decoration  and  furnish- 
ing possessed  some  mystical  or  symbolic  significance. 
In  each  of  the  four  corners,  upon  an  elevated  pedestal 
of  white  marble,  stood  a  tall  brass  candelabrum  of 
beaten  work,  containing  seven  branches  upon  its  shaft, 
each  having  a  lamp  filled  with  pure  olive  oil  for  the 
light,  with  knop  and  cup  fashioned  like  an  almond- 
blossom.  At  the  east  end  of  the  room  there  was  a 
heavy  table  of  acacia  wood,  the  top  of  which  was 
curiously  engraved,  and  upon  each  corner  was  a  horn 
of  one  piece  with  it.  Just  over  its  centre,  and  sus- 
pended from  the  ceiling  by  a  silken  cord,  was  a  large 
quartzoid  of  transparent  rock-crystal.  It  was  believed 
that  at  certain  seasons  a  steady,  concentrated  gaze  into 
its  pellucid  depths  would  produce  visions,  or  at  least 
symbols  of  future  events,  and  sometimes  there  was  in- 
cluded glimpses  of  things  distant.  The  table  was 
enclosed  by  a  curtain  of  blue,  gold,  and  scarlet,  held 
in  place  by  ouches  or  sockets  attached  to  a  finely 
woven  band  supported  by  standards  of  beaten  brass. 


82  VICTOR  SERENUS 

At  the  opposite  end  of  the  room  were  small  wheels, 
cunningly  devised  of  dark  steel  mirrors,  made  to  revolve, 
section  within  section,  mystifying  and  trance-producing 
in  their  occult  power,  and  held  to  be  symbolic  of  the 
wheels  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel.  The  walls  and  ceiling 
were  bespangled  with  tracings,  emblematic  of  prophecy, 
miracle,  sacrifice,  circumcision,  and  the  covenants. 

In  the  centre  of  the  room  there  was  a  small  brazen 
altar,  consecrated  to  the  burning  of  stacte,  onycha,  frank- 
incense, and  other  aromatic  spices.  Near  the  entrance 
stood  a  cabinet  of  olive-wood  containing  flagons  and 
bowls  from  which  wine  was  served,  and  also  platters 
containing  thin  wheaten  wafers. 

The  rites  of  the  society  were  commonly  a  matter  of 
somewhat  formal  routine ;  but  on  special  occasions  or 
anniversaries  they  included  revels,  psychic  agitations, 
disorderly  and  ungoverned  excitements,  trances,  and  en- 
chantments. At  times  the  Jew,  with  all  the  weight  of 
the  Covenant  upon  him,  gave  himself  up  to  those  things 
which  corresponded  to  the  orgies  of  the  neighboring  re- 
ligions. But  his  excesses,  though  violent,  were  far  less 
gross. 

With  the  rapid  growth  of  sectarian  bigotry  among  the 
disciples  of  Gamaliel,  the  antagonism  of  the  hyper-Phar- 
isaic faction  had  become  exceedingly  bitter.  This  was 
embodied  strongly  in  Saulus,  as  the  natural  leader;  and 
his  followers  were  wont  to  glorify  him  without  bound. 
His  release  from  the  Tower  through  the  intercession  of 
the  Rabban,  being  misunderstood,  greatly  emboldened 
them. 

After  the  society  had  convened,  each  young  Jew  donned 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:    STRANGE    VISIONS     83 

the  insignia  of  the  order,  and  appeared  in  his  place.  At 
a  given  signal,  all  arose,  formed  in  procession,  and  passed 
slowly  around  the  room,  each  in  turn  quaffing  a  small 
flagon  of  wine,  which  was  the  opening  act  of  formal 
ceremony.  After  the  last  had  been  served,  the  column 
began  a  stately  march  around  a  large  circle,  which  was 
symbolically  marked  upon  the  floor,  falling  into  the 
rhythm  of  a  spirited  chant  dedicated  to  their  leader,  in 
which  all  joined. 

"  Saulus  we  praise, 
Our  defender  is  strong, 
His  standard  we  raise, 
His  days  shall  be  long. 

The  Roman  we  dare; 
The  apostate  we  hate; 
Ho !  brothers,  we  swear 
By  Israel's  fate. 

The  mystical   Urim 
Will  care  for  its  own ; 
We  chant  our  bold  hymn 
Through  night  until  morn. 

Judea  will  rise, 

Her  natal  fires  glow, 

Her  fame  reach  the  skies : 

Woe  be  to  her  foe." 

At  length,  after  the  observance  of  an  imposing  ritual 
according  to  the  order  of  the  society,  the  chairman,  who 
had  been  chosen  for  the  occasion,  mounted  the  tribune, 
and  made  an  address. 

"  Brothers  of  the  Urim  !  Hebrew  princes  of  the  East 
and  of  the  West,  of  the  North  and  of  the  South  !  Ward- 


84  VICTOR   SERENUS 

ers  of  the  mysteries  of  our  noble  order !  We  have  met 
to  engage  in  the  exercise  of  our  secret  rites,  and  also 
to  honor  our  most  worthy  Dictator,  Saulus.  O  sons  of 
prophets  !  It  belongeth  to  our  brotherhood  to  establish 
a  sovereignty  among  the  disciples  of  Gamaliel,  and  to 
discomfit  the  destroyers  of  our  Judean  traditions,  who 
deceitfully  continue  to  wear  our  name  and  covenant. 
Our  adversaries  are  near.  Even  the  worthy  Rabban 
scents  not  their  plottings,  so  disguised  are  they  with 
professions  of  good-will  and  liberality.  The  Roman  is 
an  open  foe  whose  courage  wins  respect;  but  they  who 
betray  our  doctrine,  covenant,  and  circumcision  are  the 
real  enemies  of  the  Most  High  and  of  the  Chosen  Peo- 
ple. Honor  to  Saulus  !  Guides  of  the  Inner  and  Outer 
Circle  !  Present  our  special  guest  of  the  night  for  our 
welcome  !  " 

Saulus  was  conducted  with  much  ceremony  to  a  seat 
raised  upon  a  dais  which  was  canopied  with  an  elabo- 
rate baldachin,  and  which  was  used  only  upon  rare  and 
notable  occasions.  A  crown  of  laurel  was  placed  upon 
his  head;  and  a  dance  in  slow  rhythm,  which  was  em- 
blematic of  laudation,  was  performed  in  a  circle  about 
him.  At  length  the  ceremony  ended,  and  Saulus  arose 
and  addressed  a  few  words  to  his  fellow-members. 

"Guides  and  guardians  of  the  Urim,  and  comrades! 
I  am  thrilled  by  your  unwonted  devotion,  but  accept  it 
as  a  tribute  to  our  worthy  cause,  which  I  would  faithfully 
serve.  May  the  mysteries  and  visions  of  our  prophetic 
ritual  this  night  be  propitious!  " 

The  formal  exercises  were  ended. 

Saulus  lightly  laid  aside  the  laurel  wreath,   and  de- 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:    STRANGE    VISIONS     85 

scended  to  the  midst  of  his  fellows.  The  members  of 
the  Outer  Circle  then  withdrew;  while  those  of  the  Inner, 
among  whom  was  Saulus,  remained  to  seek  for  signs 
and  wonders.1 

After  the  doors  were  rebarred,  a  flame  was  lighted 
upon  the  small  brazen  altar,  and  aromatic  spices  were 
placed  upon  it  for  slow  consumption.  The  members 
then  seated  themselves  around  it,  with  hands  joined,  and 
remained  silent  for  some  time,  breathing  in  deep,  con- 
certed, rhythmical  measure.  A  pungent  but  fascinating 
odor  gradually  filled  the  room,  and  a  charmed  exhilara- 
tion stole  by  degrees  upon  the  minds  and  senses  of  the 
brotherhood  of  the  Inner  Circle.  A  subtle  enchantment, 
delightful  in  quality,  transported  them  to  empyrean 
heights  of  consciousness,  so  that  the  every-day  world  of 
objective  events  receded  and  became  distant  and  misty. 
They  craved  some  prophetic  symbolism  of  the  future. 

After  a  short  sitting  they  arose,  and  four  of  the  num- 
ber, Saulus  being  one,  passed  to  the  acacia  table,  where 

1  It  is  probable  that  no  race  —  whatever  its  religion  —  ever  existed,  among 
which  there  were  not  some  who  craved  mystical  and  psychical  developments, 
and  who  often  carried  them  to  excess.  Temperaments  of  ardent  and  ima- 
ginative quality  are  swayed  with  an  overpowering  desire  to  delve  into  the 
future  and  unseen.  We  may  well  suppose  that  the  Rabban  would  have  dis- 
approved of  the  excesses  of  this  society  had  he  been  aware  of  them ;  but 
what  teacher,  ancient  or  modern,  was  ever  able  to  curb  and  control,  or  even 
to  find  out,  the  devices  of  his  youthful  students  ? 

It  is  well  known  that  crystal-gazing  and  some  other  mechanical  expe- 
dients, under  certain  conditions,  produce  hypnosis,  clairvoyance,  visions, 
trances,  and  other  unusual  and  abnormal  psychical  phenomena.  In  many 
cases  they  seem  to  include  truthful  hints  and  foregleams  of  future  events  or 
distant  scenes.  Like  attracts  like,  and  sometimes  gives  it  symbolic  em- 
bodiment. An  objective  vision  may  come  from  subjective  roots,  and  its 
creations  often  haunt  the  consciousness. 


86  VICTOR  SERE N US 

they  seated  themselves,  each  grasping  one  of  its  horns, 
and  turning  a  fixed  gaze  into  the  transparent  deeps  of 
the  great  crystal  which  hung  in  their  midst.  The  others 
seated  themselves  in  a  semicircle  facing  the  revolving 
wheel  of  mirrors,  and  yielded  passively  to  such  impres- 
sions as  might  float  in  upon  them.  Soon  there  was  a 
change,  a  peculiar  abstraction  being  apparent. 

For  a  full  hour  a  delicious  ecstatic  consciousness  pre- 
vailed, and  perfect  silence  reigned.  The  room  seemed 
like  a  bower  of  roses.  Fruits  were  heaped  in  golden 
baskets,  and  fine  sprays  of  perfumed  water  from  invisible 
fountains  filled  the  air.  Jasper  floors  stretched  away  in 
the  distance,  and  upon  them  were  spread  mats  of  shin- 
ing crystals  of  variegated  hues.  Life,  action,  color,  and 
warmth  pervaded  the  atmosphere  so  thickly  that  one 
could  float  in  their  shimmering  wavelets.  Reverbera- 
tions of  unearthly  music  flowed  gently  in,  as  if  a  myriad 
of  ^Eolian  harps  were  hung  above,  below,  and  on  all 
sides,  which  were  swept  by  heavenly  breezes.  The  en- 
ergies of  Nature  were  melted  into  an  impalpable  but  all- 
embracing  voluptuous  harmony. 

But  at  length  there  were  symptoms  of  discord,  and  a 
gradual  transformation  began  to  be  manifest.  Harsh- 
ness and  disorder  slowly  emerged  in  uncanny  shapes 
from  the  dim  background.  The  psychical  intoxication 
which  prevailed  was  perceptibly  embittered,  and  subtle 
forms  of  mysterious  portent  crept  in.  The  ambient  air 
became  streaked  with  dark  patches  which  grew  thicker 
and  wider.  The  night-winds  sprang  up,  and  muffled 
mutterings  from  without  were  borne  in  with  sullen  dis- 
cordance. The  erstwhile  film  of  iridescence  shrivelled 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:    STRANGE    VISIONS     87 

and  parted,  and  flitting  out  from  behind  were  grim  faces 
of  sin  and  crime,  anon  hiding  behind  clouds  of  black- 
ness. The  blood-streaked  moon  that  had  arisen  in  a 
brazen  sky  poured  forth  a  flood  of  wan,  sickly  light  which 
entered  the  casement  and  seemed  offensive.  The  vapors 
that  ascended  from  the  altar  were  resolved  into  a  sem- 
blance of  moving  figures  of  dark  and  gloomy  mien,  with 
hollow  and  gusty  voices,  and  eyeballs  which  glowed  like 
living  coals.  Suddenly  a  bluish  flash  filled  the  room, 
and  upon  the  walls  letters  of  fire  were  traced  without 
the  aid  of  mortal  hand.  Then  it  seemed  as  though  the 
room  were  fissured  and  rent  by  a  strange  and  resistless 
pressure  from  without.  Deep,  jarring  sounds  rumbled 
below  like  the  mad  bellowing  of  an  unborn  earthquake. 
The  black  shadow  of  a  Great  Hand  moved  slowly  across 
the  ceiling. 

A  living  Shape  emerged  through  the  wall,  and  seated 
itself  in  the  chair  upon  the  dais  which  Saulus  before  had 
occupied.  It  was  thickly  veiled,  and  appeared  more  like 
some  misshapen  reptile  than  a  human  form.  Its  intoler- 
able eyes  looked  out  with  an  appalling  stare  of  hate  and 
mockery.  It  was  a  nameless  Horror,  with  an  aspect  of 
deadly  malignity,  and  a  wreath  of  fire,  shaped  like  the 
laurel  chaplet  that  Saulus  had  worn,  was  upon  its  head. 


A  crackling  explosion !  Then  passing  directly  through 
the  barred  door,  a  procession  of  foul  dancing  figures 
entered  in  pairs,  and  tripped  lightly  around  the  larger 
mystic  circle  which  was  marked  upon  the  floor.  Hatred 


88  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  Revenge  led  the  way,  each  with  his  name  in  letters 
of  flame  upon  his  forehead.  Treachery  and  Conspiracy 
followed,  arm  in  arm,  and  next,  Persecution  and  Slaugh- 
ter, with  a  host  of  lesser  imps  bringing  up  the  rear. 
They  wheeled  about,  and  with  ever-quickening  step,  each 
in  turn  bowed  to  the  Nameless  One  who  occupied  the 
chair  upon  the  dais.  Another  blinding  crash!  and  the 
whole  scene  was  dissolved  into  the  blackness  of  dark- 
ness. 

Every  member  of  the  Inner  Circle  was  suddenly  awa- 
kened from  a  heavy  sleep.  The  lamps  had  been  extin- 
guished, and  the  flame  upon  the  altar  had  expired.  The 
lights  were  soon  rekindled,  and  everything  was  found  as 
had  been  wont.  The  ashy  pallor  and  cold  perspiration 
which  was  upon  every  face  gradually  passed  away,  and 
courage  and  calmness  resumed  their  sway.  Each  had 
dreamed  a  dream  of  delicious  enchantment,  followed  by 
a  visit  to  the  Tartarean  regions,  but  no  two  saw  them 
quite  alike. 

The  chairman  of  the  session,  with  a  bewildered  look, 
turned  to  Saulus. 

"Most  worthy  Dictator!  Perchance  thou  canst  inter- 
pret the  mystery  of  these  unwonted  visions?" 

A  shade  of  perplexity  passed  over  the  face  of  the  son 
of  Benoni;  but  after  a  brief  wavering  he  replied, — 

"  Comrades  of  the  Urim !  Awake  and  arise !  The 
signs  are  propitious!  It  hath  ever  been  so,  even  in  the 
days  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets.  The  chosen  and 
righteous  call  out  burning  enmity,  which  is  made  known 
through  ghostly  and  malignant  shapes.  We  must  exor- 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:    STRANGE    VISIONS     89 

else  the  unhallowed  Phantom  which  would  thrust  itself 
into  our  Covenant  and  Tradition.  Brothers  of  the 
Inner  Circle!  we  incarnated  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  and 
must  needs  look  upon  the  ghostly  symbolic  visions  of 
warfare.  They  crowd  themselves  upon  us  as  mystical 
revealers  of  those  who  wickedly  betray  the  doctrine  of 
Israel.  Only  by  glimpses  of  such  shades  of  Tophet 
could  we  be  forewarned.  They  are  sent  to  fire  us  with 
a  holy  zeal  in  overcoming  the  false-hearted.  The  ven- 
geance of  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  waxes 
against  all  who  burn  strange  fire  upon  our  sacred  altars; 
and  we  must  needs  have  signs  of  their  abomination 
brought  before  our  eyes." 

The  comrades  of  Saulus  were  reassured  by  his  elo- 
quence, and  his  interpretation  found  favor. 

"Victor  Serenus  is  the  arch  adversary,"  cried  one. 

"The  hand  that  smiteth  him  shall  be  blessed,"  added 
another. 

"He  deceiveth  the  disciples  of  the  Rabban,  and  is  not 
worthy  to  live,"  cried  a  third,  and  there  was  a  mingling 
of  voices. 

"Woe  to  Serenus!  " 

"Spoil  his  house!" 

"To  Gehenna  with  him!  " 

Saulus  waved  his  hand  for  silence,  and  then  said,  with 
a  violent  gesture, — 

"  Comrades  of  the  Urim !  If  ye  will,  ye  may  smite 
him  before  the  cock-crowing,  for  the  Lord  regardeth  him 
not." 

There  was  a  general  clamor  to  be  led  against  the 
apostate. 


90  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Members  of  the  Inner  Circle !  I  wot  we  may  take 
him  unawares  while  darkness  is  still  over  the  Holy 
City." 

After  further  taking  counsel  together,  all  descended  to 
the  street,  and  made  their  way  through  a  narrow  lane  to  a 
place  beyond  Hezekiah's  Pool,  which  was  near  the  house 
where  Serenus  lived  with  his  mother.  Though  within 
the  city  walls,  the  locality  was  remote  and  lonely. 
Arming  themselves  with  stones  as  they  passed  along, 
Saulus  commanded  that,  when  they  arrived  at  the  house, 
they  should  surround  it  and  make  some  outcry.  Se- 
renus would  then  appear,  when  they  could  smite  him, 
and  flee  in  the  darkness,  with  none  to  witness  against 
them. 

"He  shall  lick  the  dust  like  a  serpent,"  said  Saulus; 
"yea,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  he  shall  fall  and  not  rise 
again." 

All  then  joined  hands  in  a  small  circle,  and  made  a 
solemn  vow  of  secrecy  and  service. 

"  By  the  stones  of  the  Holy  City,  we  swear  that  the 
God  of  Israel  shall  accomplish  his  fury  and  pour  out  his 
fierce  anger,  through  us,  his  chosen  servants,  for  we  do 
his  bidding." 

Unclasping  hands,  they  again  gathered  up  the  stones 
which  they  had  laid  down  during  the  ceremony,  and 
made  their  way  to  the  house. 

The  moon  had  gone  down,  and  the  first  flush  of  dawn 
was  faintly  visible  over  the  eastern  mountains.  A  sullen 
chill  pervaded  the  air,  and  the  boundless  Impalpable 
which  surrounds  the  earth  seemed  filled  with  a  life  which 
needs  not  breath.  Nature  was  in  a  mood  of  gloom  and 


MAGIC  AND  MYSTERY:    STRANGE    VISIONS    9 1 

distemper.  The  very  leaves  of  the  trees,  invisible  in  the 
darkness,  rustled  a  chorus  of  Sibylline  sighs  and  hisses; 
but  the  comrades  heard  and  saw  nothing. 

At  a  given  signal  an  outcry  was  made,  and  Serenus 
looked  down  from  a  window  to  make  inquiry  concerning 
it. 

"What  would  ye?  Doth  a  stranger  need  succor?  " 
Straightway  a  volley  of  stones  were  hurled  at  him; 
but  as  it  was  yet  dark,  Serenus  suffered  no  harm,  though 
they  fell  thick  about  him.  But  one  glanced,  and  falling, 
struck  Saulus  full  in  the  forehead,  and  he  fell  down  as  if 
he  had  yielded  up  the  ghost.  Those  who  were  near 
lifted  him  up  and  quickly  bore  him  away. 


92  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XI 

IMPORTANT   MESSAGES 

Time  is  a  sort  of  river  of  passing  events,  and  strong  is  its  current; 
no  sooner  is  a  thing  brought  to  sight  than  it  is  swept  by  and  another 
takes  its  place,  and  this  too  will  be  swept  away.  —  MARCUS  AURE- 
Lius. 

Though  thou  shouldest  bray  a  fool  in  a  mortar  among  wheat  with  a 
pestle,  yet  will  not  his  foolishness  depart  from  him.  —  PROVERBS. 

[CASSIA  TO  BENONI  OF  TARSUS.] 

"JERUSALEM,  Sivan  VI. 

"  KNOW,  O  father  of  my  friend,  that  I  have  to  acquaint 
thee  with  a  terrible  event.  Last  night,  as  Saulus  and 
some  fellow-disciples  of  Gamaliel  were  walking  in  one 
of  the  by-ways  of  the  Holy  City,  he  was  badly  wounded 
by  a  stone  which  was  cast  by  some  unknown  hand.  It 
struck  him  in  the  forehead,  and,  O  father  of  an  illustri- 
ous son,  he  yet  lingereth  between  life  and  death.  His 
companions  could  not  well  convince  themselves  whether 
an  enemy  or  a  robber  committed  the  shameful  deed. 
Among  the  disciples  of  the  Rabban,  there  is  one,  Victor 
Serenus,  a  wicked  apostate,  and  we  wot  not  but  he  may 
be  the  malefactor.  O  venerated  Benoni !  I  have  pity  in 
my  heart  for  thee  and  thy  renowned  son.  For  many 
hours  after  he  was  borne  back  to  our  inn  he  lay  as  one 
dead ;  but,  the  God  of  Israel  be  praised,  his  life  is  still 


IMPORTANT  MESSAGES  93 

within  him,  and  now  he  hath  opened  his  eyes.  We  shall 
tenderly  minister  to  thy  noble  scion,  who  is  held  in  such 
favor,  and  a  physician  hath  faithfully  bound  up  his 
wounds  with  a  healing  balm. 

"  Thou  art  blessed  among  men  to  have  a  son  who  pos- 
sesseth  such  goodness  and  power.  The  Rabban  esteem- 
eth  him  as  the  most  wise  among  all  his  disciples.  Of 
all  who  are  soon  to  finish  their  course,  I  have  much  as- 
surance that  he  would  have  won  the  final  prize. 

"Most  noble  Tarsian!  I  see  the  sadness  and  tears 
that  will  come  to  the  goodly  mother  and  fair  sister  of 
Saulus,  whom  he  hath  made  known  to  me. 

"  Peace  be  with  thee  and  thine ! 

"My  father  tells  me  that  the  message-bearer  who  goes 
to  Caesarea  will  take  this  to  be  put  on  a  ship  for  Tarsus, 

and  may  it  surely  reach  thy  hand. 

CASSIA, 

Daughter  of  Almon,  of  the  Sheef  market  inn." 

Seven  days  afterwards. 

[CASSIA  TO  BENONI  OF  TARSUS.] 

"Sivan  XIII. 

"O  my  respected  Benoni!  I  send  a  greeting  with 
hopeful  tidings.  The  ears  of  him  thou  lovest  hear  our 
voices,  and  his  tongue  speaketh  words  of  rejoicing.  The 
favor  of  the  God  of  our  fathers,  with  our  loving  minis- 
tration, will  restore  him  and  make  us  glad. 

"  I  have  contentment  in  thinking  of  the  joy  that  will 
come  to  thee  and  thine  when  this  letter  reacheth  thy 
hand.  Saulus  now  has  converse  with  us;  and,  O  most 
worthy  friend,  we  have  long  known  him  to  be  a  young 


94  VICTOR  SERENUS 

man  of  fair  presence.  My  father  made  known  his  hurt 
to  the  Rabban,  and  he  hath  visited  him.  He  sat  by  his 
bed,  and  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  bestowed  his  bless- 
ing. 

"We  have  had  long  talks  of  thee  and  all  thy  house, 
and  of  the  childhood  of  Saulus  on  the  banks  of  the  Cyd- 
nus.  Blessed  be  the  day  when  he  came  to  dwell  with  us. 

"A  young  man  named  Barnabas,  who  is  a  friend  and 
yoke-fellow  of  Saulus,  hath  rendered  much  goodly  ser- 
vice. 

"It  will  rejoice  thy  heart,  noble  Hebrew,  to  know  in 
what  high  honor  and  esteem  thy  son  is  held  in  the  Holy 
City.  His  hurt  hath  brought  forth  much  testimony  in 
his  favor,  as  one  called  of  God  to  do  a  great  work  for 
the  Chosen  People.  Their  enemies  are  his  enemies,  and 
he  hath  much  reputation  as  the  defender  of  all  our  sacred 
doctrines  and  traditions.  All  the  members  of  the  so- 
ciety of  the  Urim,  which  is  a  secret  band  of  the  most 
faithful  among  the  disciples  of  Gamaliel,  laud  him  as  a 
valiant  leader. 

"  I  am  persuaded  that  Saulus  is  to  be  raised  up  to  de- 
liver our  people  from  apostates  within  and  foes  without. 
The  Roman  despiseth  our  nation ;  but  the  time  cometh, 
and  may  be  at  hand,  when  the  God  of  our  fathers  will 
bring  his  proud  rule  to  naught.  The  idolatry  of  the 
Roman  and  the  Greek  will  also  pass  away,  while  the 
light  and  strength  of  Israel  will  increase  under  the  ever- 
lasting covenant  of  Jehovah. 

"As  to  Victor  Serenus,  the  betrayer,  we  have  no  further 
tidings  concerning  him. 

"Thy  son  sends  salutations  to  thee,  his  mother,  and 


IMPORTANT  MESSAGES  95 

the  fair  Rebecca,  and  hopes,  God  willing,  soon  to  come 
and  see  thee,  face  to  face. 

"All  the  house  of  Almon  join  in  greetings. 

"  Peace  abide  with  thee  and  thine. 


[BENONI  TO  CASSIA.] 

"Sivan  XVI. 
"  O  my  young  friend  ! 

"Thy  letter  which  beareth  grievous  tidings  hath  just 
come  to  my  hand  from  a  Phoenician  ship  which  hath 
arrived  from  Caesarea. 

"We  before  have  had  good  report  from  Saulus,  and 
our  hearts  are  bruised  by  this  evil  which  hath  befallen 
him. 

"O  daughter  of  Israel!  We  are  comforted  that  he  is 
so  tenderly  ministered  unto,  and  we  beseech  the  God  of 
our  fathers  that  his  life  may  be  spared.  His  mother  and 
Rebecca  are  sorely  distressed  and  bowed  down,  for  their 
love  for  him  is  exceeding  great. 

"  Saulus  !  my  son  !  my  son  !  How  do  the  uncircum- 
cised  and  heathen  triumph!  Our  people  are  afflicted, 
and  our  groaning  ascendeth  to  the  ears  of  Jehovah! 

"  O  friend  of  my  son  !  My  soul  is  cast  down  within 
me  !  How  long,  O  Lord,  shall  the  wicked  prevail  ? 
Shall  he  blaspheme  thy  name  forever?  The  evil  doers 
boast  themselves,  and  the  righteous  are  ill  requited! 

"  But,  O  my  Cassia  !  I  will  cease  lamentation.  Perad- 
venture  the  chosen  of  the  Lord  will  live,  and  his  horn 
be  exalted,  and  his  desire  exercised  upon  his  enemies. 

"  '  Let  them  be  confounded  and  perish  that  contemn 
the  counsel  of  the  Most  High!' 


g6  VICTOR  SERENUS. 

"'With  his  mighty  arm  will  he  yet  set  up  the  godly, 
and  establish  him  forever!  ' 

" '  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  and  declare  his  glory  among 
the  nations ! ' 

"  Daughter  of  Almon ! 

"  Our  hearts  are  stirred  toward  thee,  and  the  Lord  will 
abundantly  reward  the  house  of  Almon  for  their  loving 
favor  to  the  son  of  Benoni. 

"  Our  salutation  to  the  wise  and  good  Rabban. 

"I  pray  thee  for  tidings  of  Saulus  by  the  next  ship 
from  Caesarea,  and  may  we  hear  good  concerning  him. 

"  Peace  be  with  thee ! 

BENONI  OF  TARSUS." 

(No.  2.) 

[BENONI  TO  CASSIA.] 

"Si-van  XXIV. 
"  O  daughter  of  Almon ! 

"The  Lord  be  praised  for  the  glad  tidings  which  the 
second  letter  from  thy  hand  witnesseth  for  us.  Our 
hearts  have  been  heavy,  and  we  have  had  wearisome 
nights  appointed  unto  us,  but  now  we  shall  walk  in  the 
light.  The  Most  High  hath  delivered  us  from  great 
tribulation,  and  made  known  his  loving  kindness :  '  For 
his  mercy  endureth  forever.' 

"O  maid  of  Jerusalem! 

"We  are  of  good  cheer  concerning  thy  testimony  of 
the  fervent  spirit  of  Saulus  in  the  Holy  City.  We  re- 
joice that  he  hath  been  instructed  after  the  strict  manner 
of  the  law  of  our  fathers,  and  that  he  is  zealous,  and 
speaketh  boldly  in  the  synagogue. 


IMPORTANT  MESSAGES  97 

"  Peradventure  before  many  days  Saulus  may  write  a 
letter  with  his  own  hand. 

"Salutations  be  unto  Gamaliel,  the  household  of 
Almon,  Barnabas,  and  all  who  have  ministered  unto 
Saulus. 

"May  thy  joy  be  fulfilled! 

BENONI." 

About  two  months  later. 

[SAULUS  TO  BENONI.] 

"At.  XX. 
"O  my  beloved! 

"  Peace  be  unto  you ! 

"  Salute  one  another  with  a  kiss  of  love  1 

"My  little  Cassia  hath  sent  letters  to  you  concerning 
my  welfare,  and  now,  behold,  I  am  strengthened  to  write 
an  epistle  with  mine  own  hand.  The  messengers  have 
brought  letters  from  thee,  O  my  father,  which  testified 
that  the  affection  of  all  my  kinsfolk  abounded  toward 
me,  which  giveth  me  much  joy. 

"Ye  know  well  concerning  my  present  tribulation, 
which  hath  been  grievous ;  but  the  house  of  Almon  hath 
given  me  much  excellent  ministration,  whereby  I  now 
am  refreshed  in  spirit,  and  mostly  healed  of  my  hurt. 

"  I  wot  not  if  thou  hast  had  report  from  the  Rabban 
concerning  the  things  which  have  befallen  me.  I  was 
exceeding  zealous  in  speech  for  the  faith  of  our  fathers, 
and  was  apprehended  of  the  Romans,  and  taken  to  the 
Tower  of  Antonia.  But,  through  the  intercession  of 
Gamaliel,  I  was  released  without  condemnation. 

"I  take  occasion  to  write  unto  thee  some  report  out 
of  the  abundance  of  my  experiences,  and  also  of  my 


98  VICTOR  SERENUS 

instruction  in  the  Gemara,  Mishna,  and  other  sacred 
writings.  Gamaliel  hath  made  known  unto  me  that  he 
judgeth  with  great  favor  the  good  understanding  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  Talmud  which  hath  come  to  the  son  of 
Benoni. 

"Touching  the  observance  of  the  law  in  all  things, 
it  will  rejoice  thy  heart  to  receive  testimony  that  I  hold 
myself  blameless.  By  the  favor  of  the  God  of  Israel, 
I  keep  all  the  fasts  of  the  week,  and  do  not  forget  the 
three  prayers  of  the  day  or  the  visits  to  the  Holy  Temple. 
Neither  am  I  unmindful,  O  kinsfolk,  of  all  careful  ablu- 
tions, that  I  may  be  free  from  ceremonial  uncleanness. 
As  a  Pharisee  of  the  Pharisees,  I  strive  to  keep  the 
whole  law,  and  not  offend  in  one  point.  In  good  con- 
science I  have  respect  unto  all  the  commands  of  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  scrupulously  observe  all  the  decisions, 
Sabbatic  rules,  and  prescriptions.  To  the  Rabbinical 
principles  of  exegesis,  and  the  whole  code  of  legislation 
recorded  in  the  Pentateuch,  I  have  given  much  heed,  and 
trust  that  I  am  not  found  wanting. 

"There  hath  appeared  among  the  disciples  of  Gama- 
liel some  who  make  a  small  matter  of  our  holy  rites  in 
synagogues  and  in  the  Temple,  and,  though  Jews  after 
the  flesh,  they  lightly  observe  our  traditions.  They  set 
forth  somewhat  of  the  Greek  and  Alexandrian  philoso- 
phies, affirming  that  God  is  the  God  of  the  Gentiles,  the 
same  as  of  the  Hebrews.  They  vainly  boast  that  his 
presence  ministers  to  their  life  and  health,  and  that  his 
mercy  is  over  all  men,  while  they  profanely  say  that  the 
Circumcision  is  of  no  avail.  So  idolatrous  are  they  that 
they  profess  to  find  their  God  everywhere.  They  would 


IMPORTANT  MESSAGES  99 

fain  blaspheme  the  Holy  of  Holies  by  proclaiming  that 
he  is  as  much  in  the  groves  and  fields  as  in  the  Temple. 
These  are  sons  of  Jews  of  the  Dispersion,  who  have  been 
seduced  by  some  of  the  heresies  of  the  heathen  with 
whom  they  have  had  concourse.  They  vaunt  themselves 
of  their  wisdom,  while  they  respect  not  the  Law  and 
Covenant. 

"  O  my  father !  Thou  hast  made  known  unto  me  from 
my  early  youth  —  and  the  holy  priest,  Abdiel  of  Tar- 
sus, hath  confirmed  it  —  that  our  books  of  generations 
perfectly  trace  our  family  lineage  back  through  the  Cap- 
tivity ;  beyond  the  Prophets  and  David,  and  the  Wilder- 
ness, and  the  sojourn  in  Egypt,  to  the  tribe  of  Benjamin 
and  our  father  Abraham.  Thou  hast  instructed  me  — 
and  my  discipleship  with  the  Rabban  hath  confirmed 
it  —  that  especial  wisdom  hath  descended  through  all 
our  generations;  that  we  are  the  Lord's  peculiar  people, 
and  this  is  our  great  glory.  Our  fathers  have  spoken 
with  him  face  to  face,  and  he  hath  made  known  his  will 
to  them. 

"  Did  not  our  God  make  a  covenant  with  Abraham  and 
with  his  seed  forever? 

"  Did  he  not  lead  them  through  the  Red  Sea,  and  over- 
whelm their  oppressors?  Did  he  not  hand  down  the 
Law  to  them  from  Sinai?  Was  he  not  a  Pillar  of  Cloud 
and  a  Pillar  of  Fire  to  them  in  the  Wilderness? 

"Was  he  not  their  Captain,  who  went  before  them,  and 
drove  their  enemies  from  the  Promised  Land? 

"  Hath  he  not  sworn  to  destroy  all  our  foes,  and  give 
us  the  earth  for  a  heritage? 

"Oh,  the  glory  of  the  Judean  story! 


TOO  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Oh,  the  valor  of  the  mighty  men  of  God,  who  have 
done  his  bidding  and  gained  his  victories! 

"  Oh,  the  long  genealogy  of  his  servants,  back,  back, 
through  the  ancient  line  of  prophets,  judges,  kings,  and 
lawgivers  to  the  patriarchs  of  golden  promise! 

"  Have  we  not  Abraham  to  our  father,  and  was  he  not 
the  faithful  friend  of  God? 

"  What  mighty  captains  were  they  who  destroyed  the 
armies  of  the  unsanctified ! 

"  What  singers,  from  Miriam,  the  prophetess,  who  led 
the  women  with  sound  of  timbrels  and  dancing,  down  to 
the  son  of  Jesse,  —  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  —  whose 
songs  fill  the  mouths  of  all  generations  following! 

"Jehovah  hath  inspired  the  lips  of  his  children,  and 
they  have  uttered  his  judgments.  He  set  up  a  taber- 
nacle for  his  people,  and  dwelt  therein,  and  established 
his  ordinances.  He  commanded  their  sacrifices  and  their 
feasts !  He  builded  their  altars,  and  instituted  the  Ark 
of  the  Covenant! 

"Did  not  Moses  call  the  Lord  a  man  of  war? 

"The  God  of  the  Hebrews  cursed  the  enemies  of 
Israel,  and  commanded  their  destruction,  root  and 
branch ! 

"  If  we  execute  his  commands  do  we  not  become  val- 
iant? 

"O  my  father  Benoni!  They  of  the  faithful  among 
the  disciples  of  Gamaliel  have  been  pleased  to  honor  me 
as  their  leader  in  our  warfare  against  the  cunning  her- 
esies which  have  crept  in.  It  is  the  Hellenist  Jews  who 
have  sought  to  corrupt  our  Pharisaical  righteousness. 
There  is  one,  Victor  Serenus,  a  pestilent  fellow  who  hath 


IMPORTANT  MESSAGES  IOI 

seduced  some  from  the  faith.  Let  him  be  anathema! 
May  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth  if  I  dis- 
comfit him  not ! 

"  O  beloved,  my  hurt  yet  maketh  me  somewhat  weary 
of  body,  but  I  soon  shall  come  to  you  for  a  while.  Per- 
adventure  by  the  time  of  the  Feast  of  Trumpets  I  shall 
be  strengthened  for  the  journey  to  Caesarea,  so  that  I  may 
take  ship  for  Tarsus. 

"  Gamaliel  hath  instructed  me  to  the  fulness  of  his 
teaching,  and  but  for  my  wound,  the  prize  of  excellency 
for  learning  in  the  Scriptures  would  have  fallen  to  me. 

"  My  faithful  Cassia  and  all  the  house  of  Almon  send 
greeting. 

"  May  your  joy  be  full !  SAULUS.  " 


102  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  XII 

SERENUS    MAKES   AN   AVOWAL 

Truth,  though  often  hidden,  will  never  cease  its  gentle  pressure 
until  it  finds  its  attuned  instruments,  and  lips  inspired  to  its  articula- 
tion. 

LATE  in  the  afternoon  of  a  warm  day  in  early  autumn, 
the  softened  glow  of  the  descending  sun  fell  into  the 
spacious  court  of  one  of  the  notable  palaces  of  the  Holy 
City.  In  the  centre,  the  spray  from  a  small  fountain 
curved  gracefully  into  a  quadrangular  marble  basin ;  and 
ranged  immediately  around  it  were  pots,  partly  hidden 
by  moist  mosses,  which  contained  lilies,  anemonies,  irises 
of  iridescent  hue,  violets,  and  jasmine,  all  freshened  by 
the  neighboring  dampness.  The  surrounding  pavement 
was  of  graceful  mosaic  design;  and  the  prevailing  air  of 
coolness,  cleanliness,  and  repose  was  in  marked  contrast 
with  the  dry,  brassy  atmosphere  outside.  Porches,  sup- 
ported by  slim,  lightly  carved  columns,  extended  entirely 
around  both  stories  of  the  court;  and  these,  in  certain 
parts  where  the  sun's  rays  might  penetrate,  were  shaded 
by  hanging  portieres  woven  of  fine  goat's  hair  in  striped 
design.  At  either  end,  a  stairway  of  marble  steps  led  to 
the  upper  terrace,  and  still  another  flight  to  a  valve 
which  opened  upon  the  roof.  On  one  side  was  a  broad 
portal  which  led  into  a  great  library,  where  shelves  and 


SEKENUS  MAKES  AN  AVOWAL  1 03 

drawers  were  filled  with  thousands  of  rolls  of  manuscripts 
and  inscribed  parchments,  each  neatly  tied,  labelled,  and 
classified.  The  place  seemed  fragrant  with  all  the  sub- 
tile richness  of  Hebrew  law,  prophecy,  and  poetry,  which 
had  been  stored  up  from  the  accumulated  wisdom  of  a 
long  line  of  ancient  seers,  sages,  and  poets.  All  the 
carvings,  friezes,  and  appurtenances  of  the  court  were 
also  symbolically  eloquent  with  the  lore  of  Israel. 

The  tinkling  of  the  fountain  sounded  pleasantly  to  the 
ears  of  two  persons  that  were  comfortably  seated  near  it, 
who  had  sought  the  spacious  openness  of  the  court  in 
preference  to  the  library.  An  earnest  conversation  was 
in  progress.  The  palace  was  that  of  Gamaliel;  and  the 
elder  of  the  two,  a  tall,  dignified  man,  with  silvered  hair 
and  long,  flowing  beard,  was  the  noted  Rabban  himself. 
Beneath  the  folds  of  his  turban  of  snowy  whiteness  shone 
out  his  brilliant  but  kindly  eyes;  and  his  mien,  while 
dignified,  was  warm  and  gracious.  The  other  was  Se- 
renus,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  two  were  upon  terms 
of  free  and  friendly  familiarity. 

"Reverend  and  worthy  master!  I  count  myself  happy 
to  have  this  opportunity  to  open  my  heart  to  thee. 
Things  have  made  themselves  manifest  to  me  which 
greatly  concern  our  race  and  religion,  and,  peradventure, 
the  Gentiles  also.  Dost  thou  not,  noble  teacher,  discern 
in  certain  signs  of  the  times  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy 
and  a  new  dispensation  of  righteousness?" 

The  Rabban  turned  his  face  toward  his  young  disciple 
with  an  expression  of  curious  but  friendly  interest. 

"  My  son !  Many  strange  and  notable  things  have 
come  to  pass  in  this  generation,  and  it  behooveth  us  to 


104  VICTOR  SERENUS 

interpret  them  in  a  wise  and  prudent  manner.  I  wot  not 
what  thou  hast  in  mind,  but  have  pleasure  in  thy  pres- 
ence, and  desire  that  thou  shouldst  acquaint  me  fully 
with  that  which  is  in  thine  heart." 

"Before  speaking  of  certain  matters  of  our  religion," 
said  Serenus,  "I  would  inquire  if  it  be  known  unto  thee 
that  Saulus  is  again  in  the  Holy  City." 

"  Dost  thou  make  reference  to  the  young  Hebrew  from 
Tarsus,  of  such  fiery  zeal,  who  was  aforetime  my  dis- 
ciple? " 

"It  is  no  other  than  he!  Several  passovers  have 
passed  since  he  went  back  to  his  native  city  to  learn  a 
trade,  after  the  manner  of  our  custom,  and  he  hath  abated 
none  of  the  vehemence  of  his  former  life." 

"It  now  cometh  to  my  remembrance  how  he  and  a 
band  of  his  comrades  set  upon  thee  in  the  Lyceum,  for 
which  he  was  taken  to  the  Tower  by  a  centurion,  and  at 
thy  intercession  I  persuaded  his  release.  Knowest  thou, 
hath  he  still  the  same  mind?  " 

The  events  of  a  few  years  past  coursed  in  quick  suc- 
cession through  the  memory  of  the  young  Hellenist,  but 
he  was  not  stirred  by  them. 

"Nay!  It  hath  come  to  pass  that  his  persecution  is 
now  turned  toward  the  followers  of  the  prophet  of  Naz- 
areth. It  is  noised  abroad  that  straightway  upon  his 
return  to  Jerusalem,  and  since,  he  hath  ceased  not  night 
or  day  to  vex  them  sorely.  He  hath  almost  persuaded 
the  Sanhedrin  to  give  him  authority  to  destroy  them." 

"  Hath  he,  then,  forgotten  his  enmity  toward  thee,  my 
young  disciple?" 

"  I  wot  not  fully,  but  am  so  persuaded.     His  exceeding 


SERENUS  MAKES  AN  AVOWAL  1 05 

wrath  against  the  new  sect  of  the  Nazarene,  peradventure, 
hath  swallowed  up  his  former  enmity;  and  who  knoweth, 
also,  but  it  hath  come  to  his  ears  that  thou  hast  since 
made  me  thine  helper,  wherefore  he  might  be  more 
prudent. " 

"  He  that  waxeth  wroth  worketh  out  his  own  destruc- 
tion," uttered  the  Rabban  in  a  rather  reserved  and  orac- 
ular manner.  "  But  what  of  the  request  of  thine  heart, 
which  thou  desirest  to  make  known  unto  me  ? " 

Serenus  paused  for  a  moment  before  making  answer, 
for  something  seemed  to  stir  him  from  the  depths  of  his 
soul.  He  looked  gravely  but  tenderly  into  the  face  of 
his  master.  He  felt  that  a  great  crisis  in  his  own  life 
had  come,  which  could  not  longer  be  put  off.  The  accu- 
mulated forces  of  years,  long  pent  up,  had  gradually 
gathered  momentum  until  they  must  find  utterance. 

"Most  worthy  master!  What  thinkest  thou  of  the 
prophet  of  Nazareth  who  was  crucified?" 

The  wise  and  venerable  Gamaliel  was  astounded  at 
the  gravity  and  earnestness  of  his  favorite  assistant  in 
making  an  inquiry  which  seemed  of  such  trivial  impor- 
tance. He  toyed  with  the  long  fringe  of  his  robe  for  a 
moment,  and  cast  an  inquiring  glance  into  the  face  of 
Serenus  as  if  to  divine  his  meaning.  It  hardly  occurred 
to  him  that  his  most  eminent  follower,  aforetime  pro- 
moted to  be  his  assistant,  could  have  any  sympathy,  or 
even  remote  interest,  in  the  feeble  faction  of  the  Gali- 
lean ;  but  the  question  demanded  an  answer. 

"  My  young  disciple !  Thy  question  is  of  small  con- 
cern to  me,  neither  doth  it  matter  to  thee.  Thou  shouldst 
be  aware  that  while  I  counted  the  Nazarene  to  be  a 


106  VICTOR  SERENUS 

deceiver,  I  would  that  he  had  not  been  evil  entreated  and 
put  to  death.  Peradventure  he  was  self -deceived ;  but 
however  that  may  be,  had  he  been  let  alone,  his  works 
would  have  come  to  an  end,  and  his  followers  become 
scattered.  But  what  have  we  to  do  with  him  ?  It  is  all 
of  the  past  and  concerneth  us  not." 

"I  give  honor  unto  thy  wisdom,  O  learned  master!  but 
I  am  persuaded  that  the  Nazarene  was  a  righteous  man 
and  a  great  prophet;  yea,  such  as  the  world  hath  not 
known.  Thou  knowest  that  I  was  born  a  Jew,  and  have 
respect  unto  the  fulfilling  of  the  law;  but  the  doctrines 
of  the  Pharisees  have  become  vain,  and  I  can  no  longer 
bear  their  burden.  The  commandment  of  God  hath 
given  place  to  the  traditions  of  men.  The  faith  of  our 
father  Abraham,  the  testimonies  of  Moses^  and  the  words 
of  the  holy  prophets,  have  become  of  none  effect;  for  this 
generation  hath  given  itself  over  to  washings  of  cups 
and  pots  and  brazen  vessels,  to  fastings  and  ceremonial 
oblations.  Behold,  the  letter  of  the  law  hath  altogether 
brought  its  life  to  destruction  ! " 

"  But,  O  Serenus !  how  doth  these  things  concern 
the  doctrine  of  the  Nazarene?  I  am  somewhat  like- 
minded  with  thee  concerning  the  traditions  of  this  gen- 
eration. The  dead  observances  of  the  extreme  sect  of 
the  Pharisees  have  become  an  occasion  of  vanity,  and  a 
stumbling-block,  and  must  needs  be  purified.  Let  us 
set  about  to  reprove  these  things,  and  teach  a  restitution 
of  the  Law  as  handed  down  to  Moses.  But  I  beseech 
thee !  go  not  after  this  new  sect  of  strange  faith,  for  its 
teaching  will  surely  come  to  naught." 

"I   owe   thee   respect,   O   worthy  Gamaliel!   but   am 


SERENUS  MAKES  AN  AVOWAL  IO/ 

fully  persuaded  in  this  matter,  and  now  declare  unto 
thee  that  from  this  day  henceforth  I  wash  my  hands  of 
the  traditions  of  the  elders!  It  hath  come  more  and 
more  to  me  that  our  holy  religion  is  corrupted  and 
wormeaten,  and  that  it  altogether  concerneth  itself  with 
polishing  the  outside  of  the  platter.  It  is  a  valley  of 
dry  bones,  like  that  spoken  of  by  Ezekiel  the  prophet, 
and  only  an  anointing  of  the  Spirit,  which  hath  been  so 
perfectly  manifested  through  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  can 
awaken  them  to  life,  and  clothe  them  with  flesh." 

"  I  marvel  and  am  sorrowful,  O  my  young  disciple ! 
that  thou  hast  been  led  away  by  this  new  heresy.  I 
know  thee  to  be  upright  in  spirit;  but,  if  thou  art  per- 
suaded in  this  way,  behold,  thou  wilt  cut  thyself  off  from 
thy  people,  and  from  thy  place  of  honor  in  the  school 
of  the  prophets.  The  Nazarene,  of  whom  thou  speakest, 
was  reputed  to  be  an  unlearned  man,  the  son  of  a  car- 
penter !  If  he  had  knowledge,  whence  came  it  ?  If  I 
have  learned  rightly,  he  even  vaunted  himself  as  the 
Lord's  anointed,  the  fulfiller  of  prophecy,  and  the  de- 
liverer of  Israel !  What  empty  boasting !  He,  a  Gali- 
lean of  no  reputation,  whose  followers  were  only  ignorant 
fishermen  and  publicans  !  he  to  deliver  Israel  from  her 
oppressors  !  he  to  build  up  the  waste  places  of  Jerusalem, 
and  establish  her  dominion  forever  !  Seest  thou  not,  O 
Serenus !  that  this  is  altogether  vanity  ?  If  he  were  to 
have  been  the  Restorer  of  our  people,  thinkest  thou  that 
he  would  have  suffered  himself  to  be  persecuted,  con- 
demned, and  crucified  ?  I  say  unto  thee  nay !  " 

The  young  man  looked  searchingly  into  the  face  of  the 
Rabban,  but  with  unwonted  calmness. 


IO8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  I  beseech  thee  to  listen  to  me  yet  farther,  O  teacher 
of  Israel !  for  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  the  word  of  the 
Lord  hath  quickened  my  heart.  Our  fathers  and  this 
generation  have  greatly  erred,  touching  the  Messias,  in 
what  hath  been  spoken  by  the  ancient  prophets.  I  call 
thee  to  witness  1  What  saith  Isaiah,  the  son  of  Amoz, 
than  whom  there  hath  not  been  a  greater  ?  Doth  he  not 
prophesy  of  humility,  and  reproach,  and  travail,  and  per- 
secution ?  Nay !  Saith  he  not  that  his  righteous  ser- 
vant shall  pour  out  his  soul  unto  death  ?  Hath  it  not 
now  come  to  pass  that  he  was  despised  and  rejected  of 
men,  and  that  his  report  hath  not  been  believed  ?  Did 
not  Daniel,  of  the  royal  family  of  Judah,  prophesy  of  the 
stone  which  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands, 
which  brake  in  pieces  the  mighty  image  whose  brightness 
was  excellent  ?  Behold  this  when  interpreted  !  Doth  it 
not  signify  that  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  to  fall, 
and  the  eternal  kingdom  of  righteousness  be  set  up  in 
their  place,  which  shall  grow  and  fill  the  whole  earth  ? " 

An  expression  of  astonishment  and  restlessness  swept 
over  the  features  of  the  venerable  Rabban.  Could  the 
young  disciple  teach  the  famous  head  of  the  school  of 
Hillel  ? 

"  Thou  hast  waxed  zealous,  young  man,  in  the  defence 
of  thy  strange  doctrines  !  I  pray  thee,  who  hath  per- 
suaded thee  of  these  things,  and  that  the  Book  of  Proph- 
ecies hath  aught  concerning  the  Nazarene  ?  " 

"  I  have  it  not  upon  the  authority  of  any  man,  but  the 
Spirit  within  witnesseth  with  my  spirit  that  these  things 
are  true.  The  kingdom  of  which  the  Nazarene  hath  laid 
the  corner-stone  is  a  dominion  which  is  to  increase  and 


SERENUS  MAKES  AN  AVOWAL 


wax  great,  and  pertaineth  not  only  to  the  Jews,  but  to 
all  peoples.  All  are  children  of  God,  but  no  one  save 
him  hath  yet  perfected  the  fruit  whose  seed  lieth  within. 
His  law  is  more  complete  than  that  of  Moses;  for  he 
hath  summed  it  up  as  love  to  God  and  all  men,  with 
the  whole  heart.  Herein  behold,  as  in  a  glass,  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets  !  Moreover,  he  wrought  many 
signs  and  wonders,  and  miracles  of  healing,  such  being 
a  witness  of  his  full  possession  by  the  Father,  which  is 
the  Spirit  of  Truth.  But  he  declared  that  all  things  that 
he  made  manifest  are  possible  to  his  faithful  followers, 
and  even  that  greater  works  may  yet  be  shown  forth." 

"  Serenus  !  I  marvel  at  the  unwonted  things  thou  be- 
lievest  !  I  bewail  that  thou  art  deceived  !  From  whence 
hast  thou  these  tidings  of  him  ?  " 

"  I  have  had  converse  with  some  of  his  worthy  but 
despised  disciples,  and  know  whereof  I  speak.  More- 
over, their  works  testify  concerning  them,  and  show  forth 
the  power  of  God  working  in  and  through  man." 

"Thou  hast  indeed  become  altogether  unmindful  that 
the  salvation  of  the  God  of  Israel  cometh  only  through 
the  Covenant  with  the  Chosen  People.  But  what  sayest 
thou  ?  It  hath  come  to  my  ears  that  the  disciples  of  the 
Nazarene  still  walk  in  the  ordinances,  except,  peradven- 
ture,  one  young  zealot,  named  Stephanos,  who  disputeth 
in  the  synagogues,  and  stirreth  up  some  contention.  But 
be  thou  warned  !  Thy  Galilean  prophet  proclaimed  him- 
self as  Messias,  and  the  deliverer  of  Israel  !  What  say- 
est thou  ?  Is  not  this  blasphemy  ?  " 

"  Nay.  He  claimeth  not  sole  possession  of  sonship, 
but  declared  that  the  anointing  is  for  all  sons  of  God  ; 


110  VICTOR  SERENUS 

but  it  appeareth  that  he  only  hath  yet  emptied  himself 
of  all  else,  and  manifested  the  spiritual  image  in  ful- 
ness." 

"  O  Serenus  !  thou  hast  been  deceived  by  false  wit- 
nesses, and  therefore  makest  the  doctrine  of  Jehovah 
common  and  unclean  !  Hast  thou  forgotten  that  the 
Gentiles  and  they  that  worship  other  gods  are  the  ene- 
mies of  the  Most  High  ? " 

The  calm  dignity  of  Serenus  was  unmoved,  and  his 
face  almost  shone  with  an  inner  light  which  seemed  to 
fill  him. 

"  The  God  of  all  the  earth  hath  no  enemies,  whether 
Jew  or  Gentile.  He  cannot  know  enmity ;  for  it  is  not, 
save  in  the  hearts  of  such  as  separate  themselves  from 
him.  They  dwell  in  the  darkness  which  they  only  have 
made  by  their  own  vain  and  base  imaginings." 

"  It  grieveth  me,  O  my  young  disciple  !  to  know  that 
thou  hast  become  faithless  to  the  religion  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Thou  art  altogether  mistaken  in  the 
anointed  one  of  Israel.  When  Messias  cometh  he  will 
be  King,  Priest,  and  Prophet.  First  of  all,  he  will  de- 
liver his  people  from  their  enemies,  and  set  up  a  throne, 
and  then  reign  righteously.  The  Gentiles  will  have  no 
part  in  this  dominion.  They  serve  false  gods ;  and  the 
Most  High  will  destroy  them,  root  and  branch.  Then 
shall  the  seed  of  Abraham  inherit  the  earth  1  Thou  art 
pure  in  spirit,  but  no  longer  a  son  of  Israel.  Thy  con- 
nection with  the  school  of  Hebrew  prophets,  after  the 
order  of  Hillel,  is  ended." 


THE    WALLS  HAVE  EARS  III 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  WALLS   HAVE   EARS 

The  world  looks  like  a  multiplication-table,  or  a  mathematical 
equation,  which,  turn  it  how  you  will,  balances  itself.  Take  what 
figure  you  will,  its  exact  value,  not  more,  nor  less,  still  returns  to 
you.  Every  secret  is  told,  every  crime  is  punished,  every  virtue  re- 
warded, every  wrong  redressed,  in  silence  and  certainty.  What  we 
call  retribution  is  the  universal  necessity  by  which  the  whole  appears 
wherever  a  part  appears.  —  EMERSON. 

THE  sun  was  drinking  up  the  morning  dew  which 
rested  lightly  upon  the  reeds,  grasses,  and  climbing 
vines  that  thinly  fringed  the  steeps  and  cliffs  of  the 
hill-country  of  Mount  Ephraim,  a  little  to  the  north- 
west of  Jerusalem.  Through  this  broken  district,  the 
road  which  led  from  the  seaport  of  Caesarea  to  the 
Holy  City  wound  along  near  the  bottom  of  a  shallow 
wady,  and  ere  long  between  scarred  bluffs  through  a 
long,  irregular  valley,  and  then  ascended,  leading  over 
a  considerable  elevation  before  passing  through  the 
Mount  Ephraim  gate  into  the  city. 

In  these  early  morning  hours,  a  small  caravan  might 
be  seen,  winding  along  the  beaten  track  in  slow,  ser- 
pentine fashion.  It  was  composed  of  a  few  well-laden 
camels  and  asses,  accompanied  by  men,  women,  and 
children,  who,  having  just  struck  their  tents,  were  now 
nearing  the  end  of  their  journey.  An  eager  air  of 


112  VICTOR  SERENUS 

anticipation  and  unwonted  interest  was  visible  in  the 
little  company;  and  the  brightness  of  the  morning,  and 
the  near  approach  to  the  Capital,  infused  every  one  with 
new  life,  in  view  of  what  was  soon  to  open  to  their 
vision. 

What  a  tale  this  road  might  unfold  of  the  various 
companies  of  pilgrims,  princes,  captains,  and  pano- 
plied armies,  which,  before  and  since,  have  trod  its 
tortuous  windings!  What  victories  and  defeats,  what 
surprises  and  disappointments,  what  inspiration  and 
suffering !  What  vain  hopes  destroyed  and  heroism  re- 
warded! What  eruptions  of  invaders,  who  at  intervals 
have  despoiled  the  ancient  city,  —  Chaldeans,  Assyrians, 
Romans,  and  later  the  great  armies  of  Rome  under 
Titus ;  and  long  afterwards,  Turks  and  crusaders,  like 
great  tidal  waves,  have  surged  through  this  and  the 
other  beaten  highways  that  converge  in  the  city  of 
Mount  Zion. 

In  the  little  procession  were  some  who  for  the  first 
time  were  to  have  a  vision  of  the  Temple,  the  city's 
long,  curving,  battlemented  walls,  its  proud  palaces,  its 
frowning  towers,  its  graceful  cenotaphs  and  pillared 
courts,  and  others  to  whose  eyes  all  these  were  familiar. 
Within  two  or  three  furlongs  of  the  city  wall  on  the 
northwest,  the  road  passes  over  a  considerable  eleva- 
tion, from  which  Jerusalem  lies  spread  out  upon  its 
native  hills,  with  the  bluish-purple  slopes  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives  in  the  background  to  the  southeast.  On  this 
high  ground  the  road  skirted  a  large  open  garden,  or 
park,  that  sloped  toward  the  city,  which  contained  seats, 
arbors,  flowers,  and  shrubbery,  the  whole  forming  a 


THE    WALLS  HAVE  EARS  113 

place  of  public  resort.  Interspersed  by  small  trees,  and 
shaded  by  bushes  and  vines,  were  a  series  of  graded 
terraces,  each  of  which  commanded  a  fine  view  of  the 
city.  It  was  a  favorite  resort  in  the  milder  seasons  of 
the  year. 

The  caravan  passed  on  through  the  gateway  into  the 
city;  but  a  young  man,  somewhat  below  medium  size, 
with  strongly  marked  Jewish  features,  left  it,  and  turn- 
ing to  the  right,  entered  the  garden  to  enjoy  the  pros- 
pect, and  call  up  a  few  reminiscences  before  the  final 
completion  of  his  journey. 

It  was  no  other  than  Saulus! 

After  an  absence  of  a  few  years  in  his  native  city, 
he  was  again  near  the  scene  of  his  more  youthful  educa- 
tion and  adventures.  The  sun  was  already  warm ;  and, 
wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead,  he  sat  down 
in  a  small  arbor,  which  was  covered  overhead,  and 
partly  sheltered  before  and  behind  by  hedges  and  hang- 
ing vines.  The  fragrance  of  many  blossoms  loaded  the 
morning  air,  and  the  cheery  song  of  birds  echoed  from 
the  trees  far  and  near. 

As  Saulus  looked  out  over  the  familiar  landmarks  of 
the  city,  his  bosom  heaved,  his  cheeks  reddened,  and 
his  eyes  dilated  at  the  panorama  that  was  again  un~ 
rolled  before  him.  His  thoughts  ran  quickly  back 
over  the  long  history  of  the  Chosen  People,  their  many 
trials  and  conquests,  their  glory  and  their  captivity. 
There  was  much  to  inspire,  but  more  to  sadden.  What 
a  history  of  numberless  vicissitudes  was  written  in 
stone,  masonry,  and  marble!  How  many  conflicts, 
successes,  and  disasters  were  wrapped  up  in  the  mas- 


114  VICTOR  SERENUS 

sive  city  wall  built  by  good  King  Hezekiah!  What 
a  long  line  of  events  were  cast  into  the  haughty  Towers 
of  Hippicus,  Phasaelus,  and  Mariamne,  whose  proud 
heads  lifted  themselves  high  into  the  air  directly  to  the 
southward!  Still  beyond,  in  the  same  direction,  the 
royal  hill  of  Mount  Zion  was  crowned  by  the  great 
Herodian  palace.  What  a  long  line  of  fragrant  memo- 
ries of  patriarchs  and  judges,  of  anointed  kings,  includ- 
ing David  and  Solomon,  covering  many  bright  days  of 
Hebrew  history,  were  there  solidified  into  visible  form ! 
Upon  the  same  historic  site  stood  the  house  of  Caia- 
phas,  the  Roman  praetorium,  and  the  great  central  syn- 
agogue. 

Was  the  time  coming  when  the  proud  Roman  would 
be  thrust  out,  and  Jewish  dominion  again  centre  with 
undimmed  lustre  upon  these  consecrated  heights  ?  How 
long,  oh,  how  long !  before  the  God  of  Israel  would  rally 
and  inspire  the  multitudes  of  his  people,  bring  back 
his  scattered  captives,  and  lead  them  forth,  a  con- 
quering host? 

Farther  to  the  east,  and  directly  above  the  great  mas- 
sive Tower  of  Antonia,  — which  Saulus  recognized  with 
a  frown,  —  the  sacred  Temple-crowned  summit  of  Moriah 
caused  a  throb  of  rejoicing  and  patriotic  pride.  His 
eye  rested  with  satisfaction  upon  the  great  pile  of  snowy 
whiteness,  founded  by  Solomon,  and  rebuilt  by  Herod, 
with  its  long  lines  of  marble  pillars,  gates  of  Corinthian 
brass,  and  numerous  towers  and  pinnacles  overlaid  with 
silver  and  gold.  How  many  courts,  each  encircling 
others  within,  lifted  themselves,  tier  above  tier,  to  the 
Tabernacle  and  Holy  of  Holies,  which  formed  the  sacred 


THE    WALLS  HAVE  EARS  1 15 

centre  from  which  Jehovah  radiated  his  glory  in  a  spe- 
cial and  peculiar  manner. 

The  sun  ascended  higher,  and  the  whole  scene  melted 
into  a  dream  of  shimmering  whiteness  and  beauty. 
What  an  attraction  and  inspiration  to  every  Jew  in  all 
ages !  Fitting  type  to  him  of  all  that  is  patriotic,  glori- 
ous, and  heavenly!  The  soft  green  western  slopes  of 
Olivet  formed  a  peaceful  and  refreshing  background  to 
the  busy  haunts  of  men. 

Such  were  some  of  the  thoughts  that  passed  in  a  troop- 
ing procession  through  the  mind  of  Saulus;  and  now, 
what  of  the  present  and  future  ?  What  of  his  own  duties, 
hopes,  dreams,  and  ambitions?  What  of  the  new  hereti- 
cal sect,  whose  overthrow  was  to  be  his  especial  business 
and  gratification  ?  What  of  the  Rabban,  his  former  com- 
panions, Serenus,  the  people  at  the  inn?  Last,  but  far, 
oh,  far  from  least,  what  of  Cassia? 

"  O  Cassia!  little  one!  Will  thy  heart  beat  quickly, 
thy  cheeks  flush,  and  thine  eyes  glisten  at  my  coming? 
Hast  thou  dreams  of  my  arrival,  and  hath  absence  en- 
deared me  to  thee  ?  Hast  thou  often  thought  of  him  to 
whom  thou  so  faithfully  and  tenderly  ministered?  Thy 
messages  seem  not  to  have  been  so  warm  and  frequent 
of  late.  Surely  thou  hast  not  lost  the  image  of  Saulus 
from  thy  heart?  " 

The  young  man  was  suddenly  aroused  from  his  pro- 
longed revery  by  the  approach  of  a  party  of  men,  women, 
and  children  from  the  city.  Some  were  laden  with 
small  baskets  and  wallets  containing  wheaten  wafers, 
and  others  carried  fruits,  and  skins  of  wine.  It  was  a 
pleasure  excursion  of  Hebrew  families  for  relaxation  and 


116  VICTOR  SERENUS 

enjoyment.  They  distributed  themselves  promiscuously 
in  groups  among  the  shady  and  secluded  seats  and 
arbors,  dispersing  in  little  parties,  often  of  two  or  three, 
in  the  most  informal  manner. 

Almost  before  Saulus  was  aware  of  it,  a  young  man 
and  woman  had  seated  themselves  immediately  in  front, 
their  backs  almost  hidden  by  a  light  hedge  which  was 
covered  by  running  vines.  Their  seats  were  very  near. 
His  first  impulse  was  to  retire,  but  that  was  impossible 
without  observation ;  and  during  a  moment's  hesitation 
he  heard  something  of  remarkable  interest.  A  word  dis- 
tinctly uttered  chained  him  to  the  spot.  His  position 
was  such  that  he  plainly  saw  the  backs  of  the  young 
pair,  just  in  front  and  below  him,  through  the  interstices 
of  the  hedge,  while  he  was  entirely  concealed.  He  was 
no  eavesdropper,  but  fate  transfixed  him. 

"O  my  little  Cassia!  What  a  delightful  place!  What 
sayest  thou?  Shall  we  not  sit  down  and  enjoy  the  pros- 
pect ?  Our  friends  seem  to  have  scattered,  and  left  us  to 
care  for  ourselves." 

"Which  we  are  very  well  able  to  do,  Barnabas.  One 
might  sit  here  and  dream  over  the  Holy  City. " 

"Thou  speakest  truly,  Cassia!  Dreams  and  vis- 
ions pertain  not  alone  to  sleep  and  night.  Thinkest 
thou  not  that  a  large  part  of  life  is  unfolded  through 
them?" 

"  My  wakeful  visions  are  very  real  to  me." 

"Yea,  Cassia,  thou  judgest  rightly!  Day-dreams  are 
often  true  prophecies  of  the  future.  The  Greek  philos- 
ophy, of  which  I  learned  something  while  at  the  feet 
of  Gamaliel,  teacheth  that  our  dreams  of  the  future  are 


THE    WALLS  HAVE  EARS  II? 

like  patterns,  and  that  as  we  hold  them  before  our  gaze, 
day  by  day,  the  things  we  shape  in  our  own  minds  really 
come  about,  and  more,  that  we  unconsciously  grow  into 
their  image.  In  other  words,  they  take  such  hold  that 
we  are  slowly  transformed  by  them." 

"Is  such  a  doctrine  peculiar  to  the  Greeks?  Do  we 
not  all  have  visions  by  day  as  well  as  night?  And  do 
they  not  prophesy,  and  even  promise  much?  Nothing 
would  tempt  me  to  part  with  the  pictures  of  the  future 
that  I  carry  with  me." 

"Ah,  little  Cassia!  Are  they,  then,  so  precious  to 
thee?  Wilt  thou  give  me  some  hint  of  what  they  prom- 
ise? I  pray  thee,  canst  thou  not  lend  me  a  share  in 
them?" 

"  Per  ad  venture  they  cannot  be  divided." 

"But  at  least  they  may  be  sketched  in  outline,  if  not 
shared.  Wilt  thou  not  interpret  for  me  the  brightest 
vision  that  comes  to  thee  ? " 

"How  can  I?" 

"  Peradventure  I  can  divine  it. " 

" Peradventure  thou  canst  not." 

"Knowest  thou  not,  Cassia,  that  there  are  some  who 
say  they  can  read  the  thoughts  of  their  neighbor,  much 
as  they  would  an  unrolled  parchment?" 

"Claimest  thou  such  power  for  thyself?  " 

"  I  answer  thee  not  as  to  my  claim.  But  wilt  thou  that 
I  try  to  be  thy  interpreter?  " 

Cassia  cast  a  curious  but  shy  glance  at  her  compan- 
ion, who  seemed  much  absorbed  in  the  distant  mountain 
slopes. 

"Yea;   if  thou  wilt  essay  to  play  the  part  of  a  seer, 


Il8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  prophesy  of  my  future,  I  will  listen.  I  would  try 
thy  powers." 

"It  is  not  so  much  thy  future,  as  thy  thought  of  thy 
future,  that  I  would  divine  just  now,"  said  Barnabas, 
with  a  half -hidden  smile.  "Wilt  thou  tell  me  if  I  in- 
terpret rightly? " 

She  again  turned  a  searching  glance  toward  his  face, 
but  his  gaze  was  still  fastened  upon  the  mountain  land- 
scape. 

" Perad venture  yea,  and  peradventure  nay,"  she  re- 
plied, with  a  light  flush;  "but  please  proceed." 

Barnabas  bade  adieu  to  the  distant  mountain,  and  with 
some  vigor  of  manner  turned  his  face  toward  the  maiden 
as  if  to  read  her  thoughts. 

"  Almon,  thy  father,  hath  told  me  that  Saulus  is  soon 
to  return  for  a  season  to  the  Holy  City,  and  will  sojourn 
at  the  inn  of  the  Sheepmarket.  Nay,  more !  that  he  may 
arrive  at  any  hour.  Behold  thy  bright  vision!  " 

The  figure  just  beyond  the  hedge  gave  such  a  start 
that  only  the  vital  interest  of  the  twain  in  the  topic  of 
their  conversation  prevented  a  discovery. 

Little  Cassia,  who  was  not  greatly  disconcerted,  pouted 
her  lips  a  bit,  toyed  with  her  fan,  and  took  her  turn  in 
gazing  at  the  mountain. 

"O  Barnabas!  I  would  counsel  thee,  that  thou  set 
not  up  for  an  interpreter.  Seership  is  not  befitting  to 
thee." 

"Thou  dost  say  neither  yea  nor  nay." 

"  I  say  that  thou  hast  altogether  missed  thy  calling.  " 

"  It  seemeth  strange ;  but  verily,  I  find  much  content- 
ment in  my  error,  if  my  interpretation  be  not  true." 


THE    WALLS  HAVE  EARS  1 19 

"  It  hath  been  told  me  by  my  father  that  Saulus  is  to 
return  to  Jerusalem,  in  order  that  he  may  vex  the  new 
pestilent  sect  of  heretics,  which  is  said  to  be  gathering 
strength.  I  wot  not  more  of  his  sojourn  or  plans." 

"I  say  unto  thee  again,  that  it  rejoiceth  me  that  my 
seership  be  at  fault." 

"  True  prophets  are  not  usually  so  fickle. " 

There  was  a  slight  tinge  of  cheery,  though  defiant,  sar- 
casm in  her  tone,  and  the  flush  on  her  cheek  had  height- 
ened. Then  a  little  period  of  silence  followed,  during 
which  Barnabas  again  gave  himself  to  the  mountain.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  thin  hedge  a  heart  was  beating  so 
loudly  that  its  throbs  were  almost  audible. 

At  length  Barnabas  turned,  and  gently  picked  up  the 
little  hand  which  was  temptingly  near,  and  raising  it, 
touched  it  to  his  lips,  and  as  reverently  lowered  it,  after 
which  it  was  slowly  withdrawn. 

"O  my  little  Cassia!  I  again  take  up  my  seership! 
I  have  a  bright  new  dream  of  the  future !  our  future  — 
share  and  share.  I  am  inspired  by  a  love,  sweet,  irre- 
sistible, and  endless.  The  vision  shows  me  that  thine  is 
the  soul  that  responds,  and  thy  heart  the  one  that  beats 
in  unison.  I  love  thee  with  every  drop  of  my  blood,  and 
every  thought  that  stirs  my  being.  We  shall  know  hap- 
piness, peace,  and  devotion.  Cassia,  dear!  I  now  pro- 
claim seership  for  thee !  Behold  now  this  bright  vision 
with  me  !  " 

Gently  his  arm  found  its  way  around  her  slender  form, 
and  there  was  no  actual  resistance.  She  was  so  near 
that  her  warm  breath  fell  upon  his  cheek. 

The  pent-up  forces  in  the  soul  that  had  been  forced  to 


I2O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

listen  burst  forth  in  an  involuntary  groan;  and  this, 
with  a  sudden  shaking  of  the  hedge,  startled  the  twain, 
when,  at  a  glance,  feeling  the  presence  of  a  stranger 
near,  they  turned  quickly  down  the  nearest  pathway,  and 
rejoined  their  friends.  The  stranger,  who  was  a  stranger 
still  to  them,  was  left  to  his  own  devices. 


LOVE    VERSUS  DUTY  121 


CHAPTER  XIV 

LOVE    VERSUS    DUTY 

O  loving  hearts  with  anguish  rent ; 

No  sacrifice  was  e'er  too  great ; 
Deny  thyself  till  life  is  spent, 

Be  purified  through  kindly  fate. 

THE  shadows  deepened,  and  were  fast  chasing  away 
the  brightness  which  had  streamed  down  from  above,  in 
the  luxurious  court  of  the  palace  of  Gamaliel.  The  in- 
terview between  the  Rabban  and  his  disciple  was  at  an 
end,  and  their  long-standing  relation  fully  and  finally 
severed.  Neither  evinced  any  disposition  to  reconsider 
the  decision,  or  question  its  wisdom. 

"O  most  worthy  Rabban!  I  have  had  much  honor, 
and  thank  thee  for  thy  manifold  goodness  in  the  days 
which  are  past.  Though  I  go  out  from  thy  presence,  my 
respect  will  abide.  Peace  be  with  thee  and  thine !  " 

Serenus  had  arisen  from  his  seat  to  take  leave  of  his 
esteemed  teacher  and  master.  The  young  man's  bear- 
ing, while  calm  and  dignified,  betokened  a  warmth  of 
affection  which  was  deep  and  sincere.  Strong  ties  were 
being  severed;  but,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  there  was 
no  alternative.  But  the  perfect  serenity  and  uncomplain- 
ing spirit  shown  by  the  young  man  at  their  parting 
touched  a  tender  chord  in  the  heart  of  Gamaliel,  His 


122  VICTOR  SERENUS 

official  sternness  melted  away ;  and  the  warm,  native  gen- 
tleness of  his  nature  burst  the  barriers  of  his  reserve. 

"  Stay  for  a  little  time,  Serenus,  I  pray  thee  !  I  can- 
not let  thee  depart  without  some  farther  assurance  of  my 
good-will.  Forgive  me  for  the  stern  decision  which  per- 
taineth  to  my  office,  for  it  grieveth  me  to  make  an  end 
to  the  acceptable  service  which  thou  hast  rendered.  My 
duty  is  heavy  upon  my  heart,  for  I  have  much  affection 
for  thee.  I  will  not  farther  persuade  thee  to  forego  thine 
earnest  convictions,  for  I  can  but  honor  thy  consistency 
and  unselfishness.  To  thee,  duty  demands  sacrifice,  and 
thou  dost  cheerfully  render  it.  Behold,  thy  friendship 
hath  suffered  no  loss." 

"  Thou  dost  honor  me  too  much,  O  venerable  Rabban ! 
but  I  thank  thee  that,  even  though  I  lay  down  my  service 
in  the  Assembly  of  the  Wise,  I  have  thy  warm  favor  and 
esteem." 

Serenus  again  moved  to  take  his  departure,  but  the 
Rabban  seemed  unwilling  to  let  him  go. 

"Behold  the  hour  is  at  hand  for  the  evening  repast  ! 
Stay  thou  and  break  bread  with  us." 

Gamaliel  led  the  way  to  the  apartment  where  the  sim- 
ple evening  meal  was  served ;  and  Serenus  was  greeted 
by  Amabel  and  her  mother,  with  whom  he  was  on  friendly 
and  familiar  terms.  Mutual  esteem  and  previous  visits 
had  inspired  such  confidence  as  might  have  been  be- 
stowed upon  one  of  the  family.  Serenus  and  Amabel 
were  warm  friends,  but  up  to  the  present  time  no  word 
beyond  the  boundary  of  simple  friendship  had  ever 
passed  between  them. 

After  the  meal  was  ended,  Gamaliel  withdrew  briefly, 


LOVE    VERSUS  DUTY  12$ 

being  called  to  the  library  by  a  scribe.  As  the  evening 
was  sultry,  the  others  repaired  to  the  house-top,  where 
the  Rabban  would  erelong  rejoin  them.  But  soon  the 
mother  was  also  summoned  away ;  and  kind,  or  unkind, 
fate,  through  fortuitous  combination,  left  Serenus  and 
Amabel  by  themselves.  An  easy  seat,  sheltered  by  a 
light  canopy,  which  was  close  by  the  parapet  on  the  side 
overlooking  the  city,  invited  their  occupancy. 

The  sun  long  before  had  hid  himself  behind  the  Mount 
Ephraim  Range  in  the  west;  and  darkness  crept  up  from 
the  valleys,  and  was  fast  blotting  out  the  tinting  and 
burnishing  that  had  softly  rested  upon  battlements  and 
towers,  and  the  neighboring  slopes  of  Olivet.  One  by 
one  the  city  lamps,  like  fire-flies,  twinkled  in  the  growing 
gloom,  and  the  starry  heaven  above  solemnly  marshalled 
its  host,  while  the  cheeks  of  the  young  pair  were  fanned 
by  the  balmy  evening  breeze. 

Amabel  had  great  respect  for  the  courage  and  sincerity 
of  Serenus ;  but  far  more  than  that,  his  image  was  deeply 
engraven  upon  her  heart.  But  still,  after  this  long  time, 
she  felt  unready  to  make  the  confession,  even  to  herself. 
As  for  Serenus,  he  long  had  lived  among  visions,  and 
alternated  between  hopes  and  fears.  There  had  steadily 
gleamed  in  his  soul  love  for  Amabel,  and  at  times 
ecstasy  beyond  limit.  Of  her  warm  friendship  he  had 
no  doubt,  but  of  more  he  was  not  sure.  Who  shall  inter- 
pret human  hearts  to  each  other  ? 

But  Serenus  had  long  indulged  the  delightful  dream 
which  was  constantly  before  him.  The  beauty  and 
purity  of  Amabel  made  her  seem  almost  like  a  divinity, 
worthy  of  any  sacrifice  and  devotion,  if  not  actual  horn- 


124  VICTOR  SERENUS 

age.  But  now,  knowing  her  devoted  loyalty  to  her 
church  and  race,  what  hope  could  remain  for  him?  De- 
prived of  his  position  by  his  own  irrevocable  choice,  and 
soon  to  be  misunderstood  and  counted  as  disloyal  to 
the  interests  of  the  Chosen  People,  he  had  virtually 
dashed  the  cup  of  bliss  from  his  own  lips.  Was  he  not 
mad  in  his  devotion  to  a  principle,  which  would  not  only 
cost  place  and  reputation,  but  also  wreck  his  long- 
nourished  hopes  regarding  Amabel?  Such  were  a  few 
of  the  thoughts  that  rushed  in  a  quick  procession  through 
his  mind,  as  he  was  thrown  for  a  brief  period  into  the 
charmed  presence.  On  her  part  there  was  an  unwonted 
reserve.  She  seemed  to  feel  the  approach  of  a  crisis  in 
her  life.  The  deepening  shadows  veiled  her  beautiful 
features,  but  the  large  lustrous  eyes  almost  shone  through 
the  blackness  in  soulful  radiation. 

"The  darkness  which  from  without  falls  upon  us  is  a 
fitting  symbol  of  that  which  steals  about  my  heart,"  said 
Serenus. 

"Why  art  thou  so  cast  down,  O  Serenus?  " 
"  I  would  fain  answer  thy  question  and  open  my  soul 
to  thee,  fair  one ;  but  a  great  trial  is  laid  upon  me." 
"  Peradventure  I  might  help  thee  to  bear  it." 
The  gloom  hid  the  expression  of  intense  interest  which 
played  upon  her  face  as  she  had  spoken.      Serenus  was 
also  like  a  bow  bent  to  the  breaking-point. 

"  Sweet  Amabel !  long  have  I  loved  thee !  From  the 
time  when  at  the  Lyceum  thy  speaking  eyes  thrilled  me, 
thy  charming  soul  hath  been  most  dear.  Thou  art  the 
purest  and  fairest  blossom  of  Israel  in  all  the  Holy 
City !  " 


LOVE    VERSUS  DUTY  125 

Again  the  friendly  shades  of  evening  veiled  the  rich 
flush  which  mantled  the  cheeks  of  the  Jewish  maiden. 
She  was  stirred  to  the  depths  of  her  being,  but  waited  to 
hear  more.  Serenus  continued, — 

"Thou  wouldst  inquire  concerning  the  trial?  Can 
anything  pertaining  to  love  be  a  trial?  I  silence  my 
beating  heart  to  tell  thee  !  Dear  Amabel,  do  not  think 
me  mad !  /  accept  as  true  the  message  of  the  prophet  of 
Nazareth,  whom  our  own  Chosen  People  counted  as  a  blas- 
phemer, and  have  crucified !  He  was  innocent,  just,  and 
holy!  His  life  was  pure,  and  his  love  went  out  to  all 
—  even  his  persecutors.  He  lived  the  full  divine  pattern 
for  both  Jew  and  Gentile.  His  kingdom  is  an  unseen 
kingdom,  and  cometh  not  with  observation.  He  came 
not  as  an  earthly  conqueror,  to  throw  off  the  Roman  yoke 
by  force,  but  to  show  men  how  to  unloose  the  heavier 
yoke  of  spiritual  bondage,  carnality,  and  dead  works. 
There  is  a  light  which  is  in  every  man,  but  only  the 
Man  Jesus  hath  perfected  it  in  seen  demonstration  and 
expression.  Through  the  power  of  the  Father,  to  which 
he  opened  himself,  he  healed  the  sick,  cleansed  the 
leper,  raised  the  fallen,  and  saved  the  sinful,  and  pro- 
claimed that  all  these  works  are  possible  to  all  who  are 
filled  with  the  same  spirit.  He  hath  departed  bodily; 
but  the  fulness  of  life  which  he  showed  forth  is  ever  in 
the  world,  waiting  for  manifestation.  The  outer  tumult 
of  our  lives  may  be  so  hushed  that  we  can  hear  the  voice 
of  Truth  in  the  stillness  within.  True  religion  is  com- 
prehended in  oneness  with  the  Father,  and  not  in  cere- 
monies and  ordinances." 

Serenus  poured  out  these  thoughts  as  though  they  had 


126  VICTOR  SERENUS 

been  burning  within  him  for  utterance.  After  a  moment's 
pause  he  continued, — 

"  This  is  a  new  faith,  howbeit  it  hath  long  had  some 
growth  within  me.  Yea,  before  the  advent  of  the  Naza- 
rene  I  felt  somewhat  of  its  spirit  moving  in  my  heart.  I 
have  made  all  these  things  known  to  thy  worthy  father. 
My  reputation  and  honor  among  our  people  is  gone,  and 
my  work  in  the  Assembly  of  the  Wise  ended !  When 
these  things  that  I  have  spoken  unto  thee  reach  the  ears 
of  the  scribes  and  elders,  I  shall  be  a  reproach ;  yea,  per- 
secution may  be  meted  out  to  me." 

The  soul  of  Amabel  was  wrung  with  agony  as  he 
continued,  — 

"Behold  my  trial!  O  fair  daughter  of  Gamaliel,  I 
am  persuaded  of  thy  loving  and  pure  loyalty  to  thy 
father,  thy  religion,  and  thy  people!  I  know  my  bur- 
den, and  must  bear  it,  even  though  it  crush  me!  I  go 
out  from  thy  father's  house,  and  will  see  thee  no 
more." 

"O  Serenus,  I  know  well  thy  noble  spirit!  Must 
these  things  be  ?  " 

Serenus  sat  with  bowed  head,  and  made  no  answer. 

Amabel  was  a  loving  and  dutiful  daughter  of  a  tender 
father.  But  with  all  his  kindness,  she  well  knew  his 
firmness,  and  had  no  thought  of  putting  it  to  the  test, 
or  raising  any  question.  Her  whole  training  and  life 
had  been  devoted  and  consecrated  to  the  religion  of 
her  people.  While  not  bigoted  or  exclusive,  she  was 
thoroughly  sincere  in  every  service.  She  also  fully 
divined  both  the  firmness  and  sincerity  of  Serenus. 
She  knew  that  his  impassioned  utterances  about  the 


LOVE    VERSUS  DUTY  \2"J 

new  religion  welled  up  from  the  depths  of  his  soul,  and 
saw  how  dearly  they  cost  him.  A  great  rock  had 
suddenly  been  rolled  across  her  pathway,  and  there 
was  no  way  around  it.  Silently  holding  herself,  and 
shrouded  by  the  prevailing  obscurity,  the  great  hot  tears 
fell  thick  and  fast. 

Fate's  shuttle  weaves  the  web  of  life  with  pain; 

But  in  the  struggle,  see  that  thou  art  brave : 
When  finished,  loss  may  e'en  be  turned  to  gain, 

And  love,  perchance,  enriched  with  all  it  gave. 

The  moments  flew  swiftly  by.  Amabel  must  be  loyal, 
and  she  would  be  brave.  She  must  hide  her  love,  even 
because  of  it.  If  Serenus  knew  of  it,  would  it  not 
double  the  bitterness  of  his  own  cup?  Can  love  sup- 
press itself  in  behalf  of  its  own  object?  Yea,  it  will 
suffer  all  things. 

"  O  Serenus !  think  no  more  of  me !  Thou  art  a  noble 
spirit,  but  pray  let  thy  dreams  of  our  future  come  to 
an  end.  There  is  a  great  gulf  between  us,  which  love, 
even  if  it  possessed  me,  could  not  span.  It  will  be  for 
thy  peace  if  our  paths  come  no  more  together." 

There  was  another  silence  of  several  moments,  during 
which  the  heart-throbs  of  each  were  almost  audible,  but 
no  other  word  could  be  added.  The  very  palace  beneath 
them  was  no  more  immovable  than  the  fate  which  des- 
tiny decreed,  both  by  and  for  them. 

Serenus  found  the  great  question  echoing  through  the 
recesses  of  his  heart,  as  to  the  real  feeling  of  Amabel 
toward  him;  but  there  was  no  solution,  and  he  even 
recognized  that  it  were  better  so.  What  mattered  it,  so 


128  VICTOR  SERENUS 

long  as  the  gulf  that  yawned  between  them  was  im- 
passable ! 

The  silence  was  soon  broken  by  the  return  of  the 
Rabban,  who  resumed  the  conversation  that  had  been 
interrupted.  But  he  little  dreamed  what  a  tension  was 
upon  the  two  young  souls. 

Serenus  soon  took  his  leave,  passed  out  of  the  palace, 
and  started  down  the  northerly  descent  of  Mount  Zion  in 
the  direction  of  his  quiet  home,  which  was  some  dis- 
tance to  the  north-west,  beyond  Hezekiah's  Pool.  But 
before  he  had  come  to  the  end  of  the  sloping  palace 
gardens,  he  saw  some  deserted  seats  among  the  scattered 
shrubbery  upon  one  of  the  terraces,  and  attracted  by  the 
balminess  of  the  evening,  sat  down.  The  opportunity 
for  silent  meditation  and  composure  after  the  trying 
ordeal  through  which  he  had  passed  was  very  welcome. 
He  would  take  his  bearings  anew,  and  sound  the  subtle 
recesses  of  his  sorrows  and  experiences,  and  confirm 
and  re-interpret  his  hopes  and  aspirations.  At  length 
he  looked  up  into  the  starry  canopy  above,  and  entered 
into  communion  with  the  Universal,  and  his  fevered 
pulse  grew  calm.  He  relaxed  the  soul-tension  which 
had  been  upon  him,  and  consciously  opened  his  being 
to  the  eternal  and  all-prevailing  Love  and  Goodness, 
and  peace,  like  a  river,  flowed  in.  He  was  conscious  of 
an  universal  reconciliation  with  all  things,  past,  present, 
and  future.  The  unbounded  benediction  which  over- 
whelmed him  submerged  all  that  had  been  local,  tem- 
porary, and  disquieting.  His  soul  expanded,  and  he 
was  conscious  of  an  at-one-ment  with  the  whole  order 
of  Nature.  It  was  all  in,  of,  and  for  him.  What,  after 


LOVE    VERSUS  DUTY  12$ 

all,  was  the  sweetness  of  the  purest  and  most  beautiful 
personal  affection  but  a  rudimentary  lesson,  a  detached 
gleam,  from  the  wide  radiance  of  the  unbounded  sun- 
light! His  love  for  Amabel  was  like  a  little  purling 
rill,  finding  its  way  to  the  ocean,  not  to  be  destroyed, 
but  enfolded  in  an  infinitely  Greater.  It  must  be- 
come multiplied,  until  Amabel  is  in  all  people,  Jew 
and  Gentile,  Greek  and  barbarian.  If  her  form  be  no 
more  beheld,  she  shall  be  an  universal  interpreter.  She 
is  everywhere,  even  though  unseen.  Pierce  through  the 
rough  outer  coverings  of  all  souls,  and  the  divine  germ 
of  Love  is  there,  only  waiting  for  the  light  and  moisture 
of  consciousness  so  that  it  may  swell  and  spring  forth. 
Amabel  is  in  the  whispering  of  the  breeze,  the  glow  of 
the  sunlight,  the  shimmer  of  the  wave,  the  sighing  of 
the  forest,  and  the  patter  of  the  rain-drop.  Divine 
Love  at  first  can  be  interpreted  only  through  its  per- 
sonified sample,  which  kindles  the  beginning  of  a  flame 
in  the  human  soul. 

Serenus  lingered  long  enough  to  make  the  world  over 
for  himself  through  the  choice  of  an  ideal  standpoint. 
He  had  learned  the  secret  of  spiritual  alchemy,  so  that 
the  Universal  was  mirrored  within  him.  His  spirit  en- 
larged to  make  room  for  a  mighty  influx  of  love,  peace, 
and  power  which  were  borne  in  upon  him.  With  soul 
calmed  and  filled  with  spiritual  might  he  arose,  and  with 
light  heart  and  elastic  step  started  toward  his  destina- 
tion. Passing  through  a  long,  narrow  street  just  to  the 
north  of  the  tall  cenotaph  of  Mariamne,  and  leaving  the 
square  of  the  Sheepmarket  a  little  to  the  east,  he  contin- 
ued towards  home.  It  was  midnight,  and  the  streets  and 


130  VIC7VR  SERENUS 

lanes  were  lonely  and  nearly  deserted.  But  as  he  came 
near  a  small  secluded  open  court  by  the  side  of  a  wine- 
shop, he  heard  a  confusion  of  voices.  He  hurried  his 
pace,  and  coming  nearer  discerned  a  prostrate  form 
surrounded  by  four  or  five  turbulent  fellows,  who  were 
searching  the  garments  of  their  victim  for  valuables. 
He  sprang  into  their  midst;  and  the  onslaught  was  so 
sudden  that  the  men,  thinking  that  one  of  the  Roman 
guard  was  at  hand,  scattered  and  ran  in  different  direc- 
tions. They  already  had  secured  all  the  booty  they 
could  find,  and  had  no  disposition  to  return. 

Serenus  gently  moved  the  body  to  a  more  secure  spot 
not  far  away,  and  removing  his  own  tunic,  folded  it,  and 
placed  it  under  the  head  of  the  wounded  man.  Espying 
a  legionary  guard  in  the  distance,  who  carried  a  torch, 
he  called  to  him,  and  reported  the  robbery.  They  care- 
fully examined  the  man,  but  found  no  wound.  He  was  a 
Jew  of  small  stature,  delicate  and  deathly  pale,  and,  ex- 
cept a  hurried  gasping  for  breath,  entirely  motionless. 
Everything  indicated  that  he  had  fainted  in  the  street, 
and  that  the  young  barbarians,  finding  him  in  that  help- 
less condition,  had  taken  occasion  to  rob  him.  His  eyes 
were  closed,  but  soon  there  was  a  little  more  evidence  of 
animation.  At  length  he  began  to  mutter  incoherently, 
as  if  dreaming.  Serenus  loosened  his  neck-cloth,  chafed 
his  limbs,  and  stroked  back  his  dishevelled  locks,  and 
behold,  the  face  had  a  familiar  look.  The  muttering 
continued,  and  became  more  audible. 

"O  Cassia!   Cassia!     O  CASSIA!  Oh!  Oh!" 
Serenus  knew  nothing  of  "Cassia;"  but  a  quick  vis- 
ion of  the  past  flashed  before  him,  and  he  beheld  a  face 


LOVE    VERSUS  DUTY  131 

to  which  the  colorless  features  bore  a  striking  resem- 
blance. 

"  Saulus !  Yea,  it  is  Saulus !  My  old  comrade  of  the 
Assembly  and  the  Lyceum !  " 

It  was  known  to  Serenus  that  Saulus  had  lodged 
aforetime  at  the  inn  of  the  Sheepmarket ;  and  as  it  was 
not  far  away,  he  and  the  legionary  tenderly  bore  him 
thither.  They  knocked  at  the  outer  portal ;  but  as  it 
was  far  into  the  night,  all  were  sleeping.  But  continu- 
ing, Almon  at  length  made  his  appearance,  and  after 
explanation  admitted  them.  Saulus  had  become  more 
quiet,  but  was  still  unconscious.  When  he  had  been 
carefully  placed  upon  a  soft  couch,  the  Roman  departed. 

"  O  my  dear  friend  Saulus !  "  said  Almon  sorrowfully ; 
"  thou  hast  nearly  perished !  O  Saulus!  Saulus!" 

He  started  to  arouse  his  wife  and  Cassia ;  but  Serenus 
advised  that  they  be  not  disturbed,  but  that  he  himself 
be  permitted  to  minister  to  the  unconscious  Saulus  for  a 
little  time  before  taking  his  departure. 

There  was  something  so  reassuring  and  commanding 
in  the  mien  of  Serenus  that  the  innkeeper  consented 
without  a  question. 

"With  the  rising  of  the  sun,  behold  thou  shalt  see  him 
entirely  whole !  "  exclaimed  Serenus. 

Almon  was  then  beckoned  to  stillness ;  and  he  seated 
himself  at  a  little  distance,  and  looked  on  with  astonish- 
ment. Serenus  gently  took  the  hands  of  Saulus  in  his 
own.  and  seating  himself,  rested  his  calm  gaze  upon  the 
pale  face  before  him. 

The  room  was  filled  with  a  mysterious  stillness,  and 
there  was  a  feeling  as  of  a  Presence.  To  Almon  there 


132  VICTOR  SERENUS 

seemed  to  be  an  added  surrounding  brightness,  and  he 
was  filled  with  a  holy  awe  which  he  could  not  under- 
stand. Then  he  thought  he  heard  the  stranger  whisper 
a  benediction.  Soon  Saulus  wearily  opened  his  eyes 
and  looked  about  him,  but  failed  to  recognize  his  sur- 
roundings. There  was  another  profound  silence,  and 
another  benediction  in  soft  but  now  audible  tones. 

Then  the  sick  man  gaped  twice,  turned  upon  his  side, 
and  sank  into  a  sweet,  natural  slumber.  Soon  his  deep, 
regular  breathing  indicated  sound  and  refreshing  sleep. 
Almon  marvelled.  Serenus  arose  to  take  his  departure, 
only  saying,  — 

"He  is  well." 

"What  a  wonderful  work!  Who  art  thou,  kind 
stranger?  " 

He  only  replied,  "A  friend  of  Saulus,"  and  softly 
passing  through  the  portal  went  out  into  the  darkness. 


THE  RESCUE   OF  REBECCA  133 


CHAPTER   XV 

THE   RESCUE   OF   REBECCA 

Let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in  their  King.  Let  them 
praise  his  name  in  the  dance. 

Let  them  sing  praises  unto  him  with  the  timbrel  and  harp. 

PSALM  cxlix. 

IT  was  but  two  days  to  the  great  Jewish  festival  of 
Pentecost,  and  Jerusalem  was  already  thronged  with  pil- 
grims. They  came  pouring  in  through  all  the  great 
thoroughfares,  — from  Damascus  to  the  northward,  which 
entered  near  Golgotha;  from  the  seaports  to  the  west 
and  northwest,  through  the  defiles  of  the  hill-country  of 
Mount  Ephraim,  and  from  the  south,  approaching  through 
the  valley  of  Kedron;  also  along  the  lesser  byways  —  a 
great  host.  They  journeyed  in  families,  parties,  and 
festal  bands,  singing  songs  and  praises,  and  bringing 
offerings.  The  air  was  stirred  with  a  thrill  of  national 
pride  and  exaltation.  Even  the  great  overshadowing 
cloud  of  the  Roman  dominion  could  not  dampen  the 
ardor  nor  repress  the  spirit  of  the  harvest  festival  com- 
monly known  as  the  Feast  of  Weeks. 

The  Hebrew  had  an  unbounded  faith  in  the  future 
and  permanent  redemption  of  the  Lord's  people,  and  his 
ideal  of  restoration  and  final  triumph  was  ever  before 
him.  However  galling  the  shackles,  their  loosening  had 


134  VICTOR  SERENUS 

been  decreed,  and  was  expected.  Even  the  pilgrims  of 
the  more  distant  countries  of  the  Dispersion  were  in  no 
wise  behind  in  their  ardor  as  they  gathered  at  the  sacred 
city,  "whither  the  tribes  go  up."  Each  loyal  heart 
swelled  with  pride  as  the  great  Temple  came  into  view, 
where  the  God  of  Israel  found  his  special  dwelling-place 
in  the  Holy  of  Holies,  from  which  he  radiated  his  glory. 

During  the  great  Hebrew  festivals  every  son  of  Israel 
who  lived  in  the  Holy  City  hospitably  opened  his  house 
to  the  pilgrims;  and  as  the  climate  was  warm  during  the 
month  Sivan,  thousands  slept  upon  roofs,  and  also  en- 
camped in  and  around  the  city.  Many  pitched  tents 
within  the  limits  of  a  "  Sabbath  day's  journey  "  outside 
the  walls. 

Among  the  great  throng  was  a  little  party  of  four  from 
the  distant  seaport  of  Tarsus.  The  aged  priest  Abdiel, 
with  Benoni  and  his  wife  and  Rebecca,  came  not  only  to 
attend  the  festival,  but  for  a  longer  sojourn.  Their  ar- 
rival was  a  few  days  later  than  that  of  Saulus,  he  having 
been  charged  to  make  provision  for  their  necessities. 
They  were  to  abide  at  the  Sheepmarket. 

The  little  Tarsian  group  approached  by  the  road  from 
Caesarea,  and  coming  upon  the  elevation  beyond  the 
walls  to  the  northwest,  beheld  the  City  of  David  spread 
out  before  them.  The  roof  of  the  Temple,  which  crowned 
Moriah,  overlaid  with  beaten  gold,  glittered  in  the  warm 
Judean  sunshine;  and  as  the  eyes  of  Abdiel  rested  upon 
it,  he  fell  on  his  knees,  and  stretched  out  his  hands 
toward  heaven. 

"  The  God  of  Israel  be  praised !  Long  aforetime  the 
eyes  of  thy  servant  rested  upon  thy  Holy  Hill,  and  now, 


THE  RESCUE    OF  REBECCA  135 

once  more,   behold   the   Glory  of  the   Whole   Earth  is 
spread  before  me." 

He  then  arose,  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  repeated 
from  the  Psalms  of  David, — 

"  In  Salem  also  is  his  tabernacle, 
And  his  dwelling-place  in  Zion. 
My  covenant  will  I  not  break, 
Nor  alter  the  thing  that  is  gone  out  of  my  lips. 
Once  have  I  sworn  by  my  holiness; 
I  will  not  lie  unto  David; 
His  seed  shall  endure  forever, 
And  his  throne  as  the  sun  before  me." 

He  ceased,  and  again  fastened  his  gaze  upon  the  Holy 
Hill.  But  anon  a  tremor  shook  his  frame,  his  eyes  be- 
came fixed,  and  he  was  as  one  in  a  deep  trance.  His 
countenance  changed,  his  lips  seemed  moved  by  some 
mysterious  power,  and  a  message  which  was  like  a  proph- 
ecy came  out  of  his  mouth.  Even  the  voice  was  not  that 
of  Abdiel. 

"Behold,  little  ones  are  born  already  whose  eyes  shall 
see  Jerusalem  as  a  heap  of  ruins.  Sons  of  Israel  will 
arise  against  each  other,  and  strife  and  famine  among 
thy  people  ravage  thee  within,  while  Roman  cohorts  in- 
vest thee  from  without.  Battering  rams  will  cause  thy 
bulwarks  to  crumble;  thy  palaces  shall  be  sacked,  thy 
towers  crushed,  and  thy  Temple  destroyed  by  fire.  Pes- 
tilence, famine,  and  war  shall  bring  thee  to  utter  desola- 
tion, until  thou  lie  in  heaps.  Thy  glory  shall  vanish, 
thy  name  become  a  reproach  and  a  hissing,  and  the  Gen- 
tiles shall  level  thy  ruins  and  dwell  upon  them." 

Again  the  frame  of  Abdiel  was  shaken,  and  he  came 
to  himself. 


136  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Behold,  O  Benoni,  I  have  seen  an  exceeding  calami- 
tous vision  ! " 

"  O  Rabbi  Abdiel !  we  have  heard  thee  prophesy  evil 
concerning  the  Holy  City  !  " 

"  I  wot  not  that  I  had  spoken  ;  but  oh,  the  vision  ! 
Here  where  Jerusalem  lieth  stretched  out  before  me,  lo  ! 
I  beheld  a  mighty  battle.  Famine,  sword,  and  fire  pre- 
vailed, and  then  anon  I  saw  but  an  ash-heap  !  " 

"  Behold,  O  Rabbi  Abdiel,  peradventure  a  lying  spirit 
hath  possessed  thee,  and  used  thy  lips  !  " 

The  venerable  priest  marvelled. 

The  day  of  the  great  and  most  joyous  of  the  Jewish 
festivals  opened  bright  but  sultry.  The  early  morning 
sun  was  pouring  his  warm  beams  over  Mount  Olivet, 
and  gilding  tower  and  roof,  as  Serenus  wended  his  way 
toward  a  large  upper  chamber  which  was  just  below  the 
westerly  slope  of  the  Holy  Hill.  This  was  where  the 
disciples  of  the  prophet  of  Nazareth  were  wont  to  gather, 
day  by  day,  before  the  third  hour.  It  was  his  first  visit, 
and  he  was  unknown  to  the  followers  of  the  Nazarene. 
From  his  youth  in  Alexandria,  where  he  had  been  in- 
structed by  the  great  teacher  Philo,  he  had  been  free  in 
spirit  from  the  traditions  of  the  elders.  He  had  learned 
somewhat  of  the  Greek  philosophy,  and  also  dwelt  for 
a  season  among  the  devoted  Jewish  sects  of  the  Essenes 
and  Therapeutae.  Being  of  a  singularly  pure  and  reli- 
gious nature,  he  found  the  best  in  each,  and  attained  to 
much  wisdom  and  discernment,  even  before  he  came  to 
Jerusalem.  While  a  Jew  by  birth,  and  yet  an  observer 
of  the  more  simple  forms  of  the  Hebrew  worship,  he  had 


THE  RESCUE   OF  REBECCA  137 

gradually  found  them  burdensome,  until  his  free  decla- 
rations concerning  the  Spirit  of  Truth  made  it  expedient 
even  for  the  tolerant  Gamaliel  to  part  with  him.  He 
had  long  accounted  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  spiritual 
kingdom,  having  no  connection  with  the  government  of 
the  Jewish  nation.  He  felt  that  its  seat  was  within,  and 
that  its  coming  would  be  without  'observation. 

Serenus  had  lived  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  before 
its  audible  delivery.  During  the  public  life  and  ministry 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  he  had  continued  with  Gamaliel, 
but  had  watched  intently  the  spirit  and  teaching  of  the 
newly  arisen  prophet.  While  not  aforetime  casting  in 
his  lot  with  his  immediate  followers,  he  was  in  perfect 
accord  with  his  work  and  mission.  Day  by  day  he  had 
lived  in  the  hope  that  the  sonship  which  had  expression 
in  the  great  prophet  might  find  knowledge  and  favor  of 
the  Rabbis  and  all  the  people.  His  own  life  and  teach- 
ing with  Gamaliel  were  to  the  end  of  the  hastening  of 
peace  and  righteousness,  and  the  reign  on  earth  of  love 
and  good  will.  Before  the  Nazarene  had  appeared,  he 
felt  within  himself  the  eternal  Christly  spirit,  or  that 
divine  mind  and  will  which  was  so  soon  to  have  new 
and  perfected  incarnation.  But  when  the  scribes  and 
elders  persecuted  and  slew  the  Man  in  whom  the  Word 
was  articulated,  he  must  needs  forego  all  conformity  to 
them,  avow  the  Truth,  and  peradventure  suffer  persecu- 
tion himself. 

Serenus  found  the  large  upper  chamber  well  filled,  and 
those  who  had  gathered  were  speaking  words  of  glad- 
ness and  praise.  Their  faces  shone  with  the  spirit  of 
love,  and  there  was  perfect  accord  and  unity.  Men  and 


138  VICTOR  SERENUS 

women  prophesied,  each  one  as  moved  by  inspiration; 
and  there  were  also  times  of  silence,  when  all  were  pos- 
sessed with  a  spiritual  ecstasy  which  no  tongue  could 
interpret.  All  were  stirred  to  open  themselves  to  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  it  filled  and  overflowed  them.  Love 
was  so  eloquent  in  every  countenance  that  all,  whatever 
their  native  language,  heard  and  understood  its  voice  in 
their  own  souls.  Each  one  praised  and  magnified  God 
for  his  heavenly  vision,  and  all  felt  that  these  were  the 
first  fruits  of  a  new  spiritual  dominion.  Every  one  offered 
his  unbounded  service  to  his  neighbor,  and  mighty  works 
of  ministry  and  healing  attested  the  power  of  the  spirit 
which  was  in  them.  Their  joy  knew  no  measure.  Those 
who  had  been  slow  of  speech  waxed  eloquent,  the  weak 
grew  strong,  the  fearful  became  bold,  and  the  unlearned 
spoke  words  of  wisdom.  Serenus  marvelled  and  rejoiced 
as  he  heard  their  utterances. 

"  Glory  to  God  for  he  is  our  strength  !  " 
"  Peace  and  good  will  to  all  on  earth  !  " 
"  We  give  free  course  to  the  same  spirit  which  filled 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  !  " 

"  The  goodness  of  the  Lord  enlargeth  our  heart !  " 
"  The  chains  of  captives  fall  off  and  they  go  free  !  " 
"  Our  eyes  behold  thy  salvation  !  " 
"  The  way  of  life  is  made  plain  before  us  !  " 
"  Our  countenances  shine  with  the  glory  of  thy  pres- 
ence !  " 

"  The  day  of  the  Lord  hath  dawned  !  " 

"  Signs  and  wonders  are  multiplied  !  " 

"  Behold  our  sons  and  daughters  shall  prophesy  1  " 

"  A  great  light  hath  been  kindled  in  our  souls  !  " 


THE  RESCUE   OF  REBECCA  139 

"  The  Spirit  of  Truth  is  in  our  midst !  " 

"Our  love  aboundeth  toward  all  men!  " 

Such  were  a  few  of  the  manifold  testimonies. 

The  soul  of  Serenus  was  aflame  with  praise  and  glad- 
ness. Looking  about  him,  he  perceived  that  nearly  all 
who  had  gathered  were  unlearned,  and  of  no  reputation ; 
such  as  had  contempt  of  the  Pharisees  and  doctors  of 
the  Law.  Whence  this  wonderful  wisdom!  Oh,  joyful 
demonstration  !  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  now 
within  the  hearts  of  men ! 

O  breath  of  God  !  breathed  by  his  children  now, 
Free  course  his  spirit  hath  ;  their  souls  aspire. 

With  life  and  love  their  hearts  thou  dost  endow, 
Baptized  e'en  now  with  warmth  of  heavenly  fire. 

Serenus  was  inspired  to  mingle  his  wisdom  with  that 
of  this  spiritual  love-feast,  and  he  addressed  the  assem- 
bly:— 

"  Brethren,  it  is  good  to  be  here ;  for  lo,  the  power  of 
God  filleth  this  place.  But  peradventure  ye  persuade 
yourselves  that  God  hath  become  more  willing  than  he 
was  wont,  and  therefore  hath  repented  him  of  the  past, 
and  now  poureth  out  his  Spirit  more  abundantly.  Nay ! 
His  Spirit  hath  always  been  poured  out,  for  it  filleth  all 
things ;  but  now,  with  one  accord,  ye  have  opened  your- 
selves to  it.  Behold  God  hath  not  changed,  for  he  hath 
everlasting  perfection,  and  abideth  everywhere.  He  is 
not  like  unto  men,  giving  or  withholding  his  favor  by 
times  and  seasons,  but  is  everlasting  fulness,  now  and 
through  all  time,  to  all  who  discover  him  and  find  his 
kingdom  within.  Behold  the  same  mind  which  filled  the 


140  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Nazarene  to  the  uttermost  dwelleth  unmanifested  in  all ; 
but  they  wot  not  of  its  presence,  for  they  look  without, 
expecting  it  to  come  with  observation.  While  Jesus  was 
with  you  after  the  flesh,  behold  your  eyes  were  holden 
by  his  bodily  presence,  but  now  ye  see  how  the  Spirit 
of  the  Messiah  aboundeth  unto  all.  God  dwelleth  not 
in  oblations  and  circumcisions  and  ordinances,  nay,  even 
not  in  yonder  Temple  more  than  in  all  the  earth,  for  his 
presence  is  everywhere.  Behold,  whether  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile, Parthian,  Mede,  or  Elamite,  be  ye  renewed  in  the 
inner  man,  for  there  is  where  God  speaketh.  As  ye  put 
on  the  Christly  mind,  which  was  incarnated  in  Jesus,  ye 
have  salvation  within  you.  His  blood,  being  interpreted, 
betokens  his  inmost  eternal  quality;  and  this  is  Spirit, 
and  this  is  life.  Till  now  ye  knew  not  that  ye  had 
Christ  in  you,  waiting  for  your  outworking.  But  now  ye 
have  opened  your  vision,  and  therefore  abound  in  faith, 
and  show  forth  God's  power  as  it  becometh  his  children. 
I  salute  every  one  of  you  in  love." 

As  Serenus  concluded,  many  gathered  about  him,  and 
grasped  him  by  the  hand,  and  blessed  and  saluted  him. 

The  news  of  the  unwonted  fervor  of  the  assembly  soon 
became  noised  abroad ;  and  many  who  were  curious  hastily 
gathered,  and  marvelled  at  what  they  saw.  Many  false 
reports  went  out  concerning  it,  until  one  Peter,  a  disci- 
ple, formerly  weak,  but  now  of  great  boldness,  lifted  up 
his  voice  and  made  explanation,  showing  that  accord- 
ing to  prophecy  all  these  things  should  come  to  pass. 

After  Serenus  went  out,  he  joined  the  great  throng, 
and  went  up  to  the  Jewish  Pentecost  at  the  Temple. 
He  desired  once  more  to  behold  the  great  national  fes- 


THE  RESCUE   OF  REBECCA  14! 

tival  of  his  own  people,  to  which  the  pilgrims  from  all 
the  scattered  tribes  had  come  up. 

The  tramp  of  a  multitude  of  feet  resounded  through 
the  outer  courts.  The  strange  costumes  of  Jews  and 
proselytes  from  Mesopotamia  and  Cappadocia,  from  Pon 
tus,  Egypt,  and  Arabia,  mingled  in.  picturesque  color  and 
design  with  the  less  conspicuous  habiliments  of  the  den- 
izens of  the  Holy  City.  There  was  a  great  confusion 
of  tongues  and  dialects,  and  the  tables  of  the  money- 
changers were  loaded  with  piles  of  strange  coins  from 
many  countries.  The  dues  of  the  Temple,  and  the  price 
of  lambs,  goats,  and  bullocks,  must  needs  be  paid  for  in 
the  sacred  money  of  Judea.  There  were  great  pens  con- 
taining lambs  of  the  first  year,  selected  by  the  priests  as 
being  without  blemish,  and  rams  and  he-goats,  approved 
as  sound,  to  be  sold  for  sacrifices,  the  large  profit  going 
to  the  priests,  as  pertaining  to  their  office.  The  bleat- 
ing and  lowing  of  the  herds  that  were  crowded  into  the 
great  Temple  market  —  soon  to  suffer  religious  martyr- 
dom —  was  mingled  with  the  vast  babel  of  other  sounds 
and  voices.  The  marble  pavement  was  littered  with 
refuse,  and  would  soon  be  stained  with  blood,  poured 
out  by  the  priests  in  conformity  to  the  ceremonial  law. 
The  blare  of  silver  trumpets,  and  the  reverberation  of 
patriotic  and  religious  anthems,  which  were  sung  as  or- 
dained by  the  Levites,  also  formed  a  part  of  the  great 
chorus.  All  the  broad  spaces  on  Mount  Moriah  swarmed 
with  humanity,  and  the  sweltering,  brassy  air  vibrated 
with  clamor  and  motion.  The  Gate  Beautiful,  which  led 
from  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  to  that  of  the  Women,  was 
flung  wide  open,  and  its  fair  proportions  awakened  the 


142  VICTOR  SERENUS 

pride  of  every  Hebrew.  Farther  on,  and  leading  into 
the  court  of  Israel,  was  the  still  more  celebrated  Gate 
of  Nicanor,  made  of  polished  Corinthian  brass,  which 
was  so  brilliant  in  the  bright  sunshine  as  to  dazzle 
every  beholder. 

At  length  the  ceremonies  began.  The  priests,  dressed 
in  long  white  robes,  moved  with  unsandalled  feet  to  and 
fro  in  long  processions  with  military  precision,  and  fi- 
nally ranged  themselves  in  a  great  semicircle,  each  with 
two  leavened  loaves  and  a  peace  offering,  and  waved 
them  before  the  Lord.  The  animals  were  slain  in  great 
numbers,  and  placed  upon  the  altars  for  the  appointed 
sacrifices,  the  fires  were  lighted,  and  the  smoke  of  in- 
cense ascended  toward  heaven,  until  the  fierce  rays  of 
the  sun  were  almost  shut  out  by  the  great  cloud  that 
hung  over  the  Holy  Hill.  At  length  the  silver  trumpets 
blew  a  great  blast  as  a  signal  for  silence.  The  High 
Priest,  flanked  by  his  subordinates,  advanced  upon  an 
elevated  gallery  in  the  sight  of  the  vast  multitude, 
stretched  forth  his  hands  toward  heaven  with  fingers  mys- 
tically dispread,  and  blessed  the  people  in  the  name  of 
the  God  of  Israel.  The  heart  of  every  Hebrew  swelled 
with  pride  as  the  great  festal  service  was  celebrated,  and 
even  Roman  centurions  looked  on  with  interest. 

Serenus  was  deeply  moved  as  he  silently  viewed  the 
mighty  concourse,  and  witnessed  the  elaborate  ritual 
which  in  the  past  concerned  him,  and  had  been  wrapped 
about  his  whole  life.  He  then  thanked  God  that  the  fet- 
ters which  had  held  him  even  lightly  were  now  broken, 
and  that  the  light  of  truth  had  shone  into  his  soul,  and 
destroyed  a  yoke  of  bondage  which  long  had  been  galling. 


THE  RESCUE    OF  REBECCA  143 

Serenus  secured  a  position  somewhat  elevated  above 
the  heads  of  the  people,  just  inside  of  the  Beautiful 
Gate ;  and  from  it  he  made  a  wide  survey  of  the  impos- 
ing ceremonies  of  the  Feast  of  Weeks.  He  marvelled 
how  this  favored  people,  the  descendants  of  Abraham 
and  possessors  of  a  rich  spiritual  heritage,  had  disre- 
garded the  warnings  of  old,  and  permitted  their  worship 
to  degenerate  into  outward  legality  and  form.  The 
simple  ordinances,  which  once  were  only  the  tokens  of  a 
pure  inner  faith,  had  become  an  unceasing  round  of  cum- 
bersome and  dead  observances.  The  life  of  the  Jewish 
system  had  withered,  and  the  cup  of  bitterness  of  the 
Chosen  People  was  fast  filling  up.  But  what  could  he 
or  the  little  band  of  the  upper  chamber  do,  to  clothe 
with  flesh  and  life  the  dry  bones  of  the  dead  religious 
faith  of  a  dispersed  race  ?  Such  were  a  few  of  his  mus- 
ings when  he  beheld  the  great  throng,  as  they  surged  in 
and  out  before  him. 

But  suddenly  the  air  grew  thick,  and  a  heavier  cloud 
than  that  of  the  sacrificial  smoke  overshadowed  the 
temple  courts.  It  was  growing  late  in  the  afternoon, 
and  a  sudden  tempest  was  at  hand,  following  the  great 
heat.  Anon  a  blinding  flash  of  lightning  and  peal  of 
thunder  that  shook  the  very  foundations  of  the  Temple. 
A  darkness  fell  like  that  of  night,  which  was  made 
thicker  by  contrast  with  the  flashes  which  now  seemed 
like  fiery  serpents,  shooting  through  and  around  the 
Temple,  and  leaping  athwart  the  heavens.  A  panic 
seized  the  great  throng,  and  there  was  a  mad  rush  to 
escape.  Cries  of  anguish  rent  the  air,  as  many  were 
trampled  down  by  the  affrighted  mass.  Many  were 


144  VICTOR  SERENUS 

crushed  by  the  pressure  of  the  crowd  behind,  and  all 
semblance  of  order  was  lost  in  the  great  struggle  for  life. 
Men,  women,  and  children  were  pressed  against  the 
platform  upon  which  Serenus  was  seated,  and  even  those 
who  were  able  to  keep  upright  were  borne  helplessly 
along.  There  was  a  chorus  of  groans  almost  below  his 
feet.  He  fell  upon  his  breast,  and  found  that  by 
reaching  down  to  the  utmost,  he  was  able  to  grasp  the 
hands  of  some  who  were  borne  upon  the  shoulders  of 
others.  In  this  way  he  was  able  to  rescue  not  a  few, 
by  lifting  them  to  the  level  of  the  platform  where  he 
was.  By  the  light  of  a  vivid  flash,  he  saw  in  the  drift- 
ing current  an  elderly  man,  upon  whose  shoulders  there 
was  a  young  woman,  whose  drooping  form  and  pale  face 
showed  that  she  had  swooned.  The  man  who  carried 
her  aloft  had  a  glimpse  of  Serenus  above  him,  and  cried 
out  as  he  was  swept  along,  — 

"Take  her!  Oh,  save  her!  save  her!  " 

By  a  supreme  effort,  Serenus  was  able  to  grasp  her 
arm,  and  lift  her  to  his  own  level,  while  he  who  had 
made  the  entreaty  was  quickly  lost  to  sight  in  the  irresis- 
tible moving  tide  and  thick  darkness.  Serenus  laid  her 
tenderly  down ;  and  another  woman,  whom  he  before  had 
lifted  by  his  strong  grasp,  assisted  in  ministration.  The 
face  of  the  prostrate  form  was  of  the  Jewish  type,  but 
her  features  were  regular  and  beautiful.  Her  long  black 
hair  hung  in  wild  confusion,  as  if  to  symbolize  the  dis- 
orderly scene  through  which  she  had  passed.  Her  cos- 
tume betokened  refinement  and  social  standing.  Around 
her  white  neck  there  was  a  network  of  delicate  gold 
chains  interspersed  with  small  precious  stones.  The 


THE  RESCUE   OF  REBECCA  145 

folds  of  her  white  loose-fitting  robe,  of  soft  texture,  were 
gathered  by  a  girdle  woven  of  golden  threads,  from 
which  hung  pendants  of  small  pearls. 

After  a  vigorous  fanning  and  a  little  interval  of  rest, 
she  gasped,  opened  her  eyes,  and  slowly  came  to  herself. 

"  O  my  father !  where  art  thou  ?  O  Saulus ! " 

Serenus  marvelled. 

"Is  Saulus  thy  friend?     Pray,  who  art  thou?" 

"I  am  Rebecca,  the  daughter  of  Benoni  of  Tarsus." 


146  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  XVI 

AFTER  THE   STORM 

THE  fury  of  the  storm  rapidly  diminished.  The  great 
rushing  tide  of  men,  women,  and  children  soon  thinned 
out  and  grew  sluggish.  The  darkness  lifted,  and  the 
lightning-flashes  and  peals  of  thunder  died  away,  but 
the  great  worshipful  throng  was  demoralized  and  scat- 
tered. 

The  panic  began  when  some  marble  columns  in  the 
tier  beyond  the  court  of  Israel  had  been  struck  by  light- 
ning, and  shattered  and  thrown  down,  wounding  several 
priests,  who  were  washing  their  hands  in  the  great 
brazen  Laver.  Such  was  the  starting-point  of  the  stam- 
pede which  had  been  so  disastrous  and  widespread. 

Rebecca  was  uninjured,  and  rapidly  recovered  from 
the  prevailing  fright  and  excitement.  Except  for  the 
anxiety  regarding  the  fate  of  her  father,  she  was  soon 
quite  herself.  She  turned  to  her  unknown  deliverer  to 
render  him  thanks. 

"The  God  of  Israel  reward  thee,  O  son  of  Judah! 
Thy  gracious  ministry  was  my  salvation.  Receive  the 
thanks  of  the  daughter  of  Benoni.  My  father  will  joy- 
fully bless  thee,  and  also  reward  thy  goodness  if  thou 
wilt  accept  some  favor." 

"  Fair  maid  of  the   house  of   Benoni !  the   Lord  hath 


AFTER    THE  STORM  147 

already  rewarded  me  abundantly,  for  I  have  much  joy  in 
thy  deliverance." 

The  pallor  and  weakness  which  marked  her  face  grad- 
ually passed  away,  and  gave  place  to  a  look  of  interest 
and  curiosity. 

"  It  all  seems  like  a  confused  dream.  I  remember 
that  my  father  lifted  me  to  his  shoulders  to  bear  me  out 
of  the  mad  throng,  and  I  knew  nothing  further  until  I 
found  myself  here." 

"  He  delivered  thee  into  my  hands,  by  his  own  words, 
and  now,  behold  we  will  seek  him." 

Rebecca  was  now  able  to  walk,  and  they  passed  out 
through  the  Beautiful  Gate  in  quest  of  Benoni.  There 
were  groups  of  people  everywhere;  many  drenched  by 
the  great  storm,  some  faint  or  wounded,  and  a  few  of 
the  more  helpless  were  being  borne  away  by  friends, 
or  keepers  of  the  Temple  courts.  But  the  father  of 
Rebecca  was  nowhere  to  be  found. 

"  Peradventure  he  hath  been  bruised  or  faint,  and  taken 
to  the  inn  of  Almon  where  we  abide.  I  will-  return 
thither.  But  I  am  a  stranger  in  the  Holy  City.  May  I 
still  presume  upon  thy  favor  in  that  thou  wouldst  show 
me  the  way?" 

The  sky  had  already  cleared,  the  air  was  sweet  and 
fresh,  and  the  sun  dispensing  his  parting  beams  before 
sinking  below  the  western  horizon. 

"Behold  what  a  great  calm  follows  the  tempest,"  said 
Rebecca.  "  The  Holy  City  seems  purified." 

"  A  fitting  symbol  of  the  storms  and  waves  that  rage  in 
the  soul  of  man,"  said  Serenus.  "  They  chasten,  and  then 
in  due  time  bring  forth  a  harvest  of  peace." 


148  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Must  peace  of  soul  come  only  as  the  result  of 
tempest  ? " 

"I  say  not  that;  but  yet  life  is  like  the  ebb  and  flow 
of  the  tides.  If  stillness  were  never  broken  up,  perad- 
venture  there  would  be  stagnation.  It  is  the  fury  of  the 
storm  that  gives  tranquillity  its  charm." 

"  Should  we,  then,  seek  for  waves  to  buffet  us  ? " 

"Nay;  but  when  they  come  unsought,  we  should  be 
lifted  by  them  rather  than  submerged." 

"  Peradventure  one  be  not  able  ?  " 

"That  must  not  be  conceded  even  to  ourselves." 

"What  is  the  secret  of  overcoming?  " 

"  Keep  a  well-ordered  mind,  for  our  life  is  what  our 
thoughts  make  it.  Look  beneath  the  surface  of  things. 
When  the  billows  of  the  sea  are  angry,  and  foam  and 
dash  themselves,  there  is  serenity  in  their  unseen  deeps." 

"Thou  must  account  thyself  a  philosopher  as  well  as 
a  son  of  Israel." 

"Daughter  of  Benoni!  I  am  a  Jew;  but  the  Chosen 
People  are  not  the  sole  possessors  of  wisdom.  It 
aboundeth  through  all  the  earth,  but  only  they  who 
seek  it  for  its  own  sake  taste  of  its  fulness." 

They  passed  out  through  the  west  Temple  gate  of  the 
outer  court,  and  down  the  long  flight  of  steps  along  the 
slope  of  Mount  Moriah.  The  steep  descent  caused 
Rebecca  again  to  grow  dizzy  from  faintness,  and  she 
leaned  upon  Serenus  for  support.  He  put  his  arm  about 
her  to  save  her  from  falling,  and  thus  they  made  their 
way  as  rapidly  as  possible  toward  the  Sheepmarket.  As 
they  entered  a  narrow  street,  they  met,  face  to  face,  a 
young  woman  moving  with  a  rapid  step  in  the  opposite 


AFTER    THE  STORM  149 

direction.  She  gave  Serenus  a  slight  salutation,  and 
quickly  passed  by.  He  was  still  supporting  Rebecca, 
and  was  startled  at  the  recognition.  It  was  Amabel. 

Arriving  at  the  inn,  Rebecca  invited  Serenus  to  enter, 
and  receive  the  thanks  of  her  friends.  But  he  made 
some  plea  of  haste,  and  turned  to  depart,  only  saying, — 

"  Peace  abide  with  thee !  " 

She  returned  the  salutation,  and  then,  remembering 
that  he  had  not  made  himself  known,  except  as  a  son  of 
Israel,  inquired,  — 

"Who  art  thou,  that  we  may  send  thee  greeting  for 
thy  great  favor  ?  " 

"  I  am  a  friend  of  Saulus ;  "  and  before  her  knock  was 
answered,  he  was  out  of  sight. 

A  few  days  after,  late  in  the  afternoon,  a  little  group 
were  holding  earnest  converse  in  the  court  of  the  Sheep- 
market  inn.  Abdiel,  the  venerable  Rabbi  of  Tarsus, 
bewailed  the  changes  which  had  come  to  pass  in  the 
Holy  City  since  his  long  sojourn  there  many  years 
before. 

"  Behold, "  he  exclaimed  bitterly,  "  false  prophets  and 
teachers  have  arisen,  and  boldly  proclaim  their  blasphe- 
mous doctrines  in  the  synagogues,  yea,  in  the  very  courts 
of  the  Temple  on  the  Holy  Hill.  The  streams  which 
should  flow  out  in  pure  volume  to  refresh  and  confirm 
the  children  of  the  Dispersion  are  becoming  poisoned 
at  the  fountain-head." 

"  It  is  even  as  thou  sayest,  O  venerable  Abdiel ! "  re- 
plied Almon.  "We  may  almost  perceive  heresy  and  false 
doctrine  in  the  very  air  about  us !  It  cometh  mainly  from 


150  VICTOR  SERENUS 

the  followers  of  an  impostor  named  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
who  was  crucified  not  long  ago  between  two  thieves. 
His  disciples  have  waxed  yet  more  bold  In  their  teach- 
ings; and  some  of  them  set  at  naught  the  Holy  Place 
itself,  while  others  continue  in  the  ordinances  of  the 
Chosen  People,  but  lightly  esteem  them." 

"What  manner  of  people  are  they?  and  what  is  their 
doctrine  ? " 

"Saulus  is  more  learned  in  these  matters,  and  can 
more  perfectly  inform  thee." 

"I  have  heard  from  common  report,  since  coming 
from  Tarsus,  somewhat  of  the  Galilean  and  his  doings. 
He  was  without  reputation  or  learning,  but  by  certain 
charms  and  magical  works  and  healings  was  able  to 
deceive  many.  He  even  made  pretence  to  the  Messiah- 
ship,  boasted  that  he  could  destroy  the  Temple  in  three 
days,  and  called  himself  the  King  of  the  Jews." 

"As  he  was  no  king,  and  did  nothing  to  restore  the 
kingdom  and  drive  out  the  Roman,  peradventure  he  was 
mad,  or  possessed  of  an  evil  spirit,"  said  Abdiel. 

"  That  matters  not,  O  venerable  Rabbi !  so  long  as  his 
followers  are  multiplied  and  have  waxed  bold.  They 
must  be  driven  out  or  destroyed,  otherwise  great  harm 
will  befall  the  church  of  our  fathers.  It  hath  come  to 
my  ears,  O  Almon!  that  my  former  enemy,  the  false 
teacher  Serenus,  hath  joined  himself  to  these  blasphemers, 
and  that  the  Rabban  hath  put  him  away  from  the  As- 
sembly. It  behooveth  us  to  be  vigilant,  else  this  heresy 
may  spread  even  to  the  overthrow  of  our  nation  and 
people.  I  shall  counsel  with  the  High  Priest  on  the 
morrow,  and  take  measures  to  rid  the  Holy  City  of  these 


AFTER    THE   STORM  151 

deceivers  who  are  persuading  the  common  people  with 
their  vain  pretensions." 

"Thou  speakest  with  wisdom  and  boldness,"  said 
Almon;  "yet  it  behooveth  thee  to  proceed  with  caution 
and  secrecy,  for  this  new  doctrine  hath  taken  a  strong 
hold  upon  the  ignorant  and  unlearned.  I  have  heard 
of  one  Stephanos,  who  is  vehement  for  the  strange  her- 
esy. He  is  young  and  learned,  and  speaketh  both  in  the 
Hebrew  and  Greek  tongues." 

"  It  hath  been  told  me,  O  Almon !  how  he  stirreth  up 
the  people  by  his  eloquence,  and  of  his  disputations, 
whereby  he  may  gain  a  great  following.  Peradventure 
on  the  morrow  he  may  be  at  the  synagogue  of  the  Cyre- 
nians,  as  hath  been  wont.  I  will  go  and  confront  this 
calumniator  of  our  Holy  Law." 

"The  God  of  Israel  be  with  thee!"  said  Abdiel. 
"Thou  art  strong  and  courageous  in  the  defence  of  our 
doctrine. " 

Since  the  return  of  Saulus  he  had  been  earnestly  occu- 
pied in  the  formation  of  plans  for  the  uprooting  of  false 
doctrine,  and  the  punishment  of  the  violators  of  the 
ceremonial  law.  His  zeal  in  this  cause  was  only  alter- 
nated and  tempered  by  his  periods  of  depression  and 
uncertainty  as  to  the  affection  of  Cassia.  His  strength 
as  a  champion  of  the  traditions  of  the  elders  was  only 
equalled  by  the  power  of  his  love  for  her,  but  the  former 
inspired  strength  and  the  latter  weakness.  He  could 
face  unnumbered  heretics  without  a  fear,  but  was  van- 
quished by  the  sight  of  the  innkeeper's  daughter.  Day 
after  day  had  swiftly  passed  since  his  return  from  Tarsus, 
but  still  he  was  utterly  in  the  dark  as  to  her  real  feelings. 


152  VICTOR  SERENUS 

She  was  friendly,  and  took  a  deep  interest  in  all  his 
plans  for  crushing  the  traitors  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  but 
more  he  could  not  clearly  divine.  He  was  holden  from 
making  any  allusion  to  the  involuntary  eavesdropping 
upon  the  occasion  of  his  arrival ;  and  what  he  had  heard 
on  the  part  of  little  Cassia  had  been  so  indefinite  that 
he  lived  in  a  condition  of  mingled  hope,  fear,  and  un- 
certainty. Barnabas  was  still  at  the  Sheepmarket,  but 
there  was  nothing  in  his  actions  to  aid  in  the  solution 
of  the  riddle.  Saulus  loved  with  all  the  intensity  of 
his  fiery  nature ;  and  he  even  persuaded  himself  that  if 
Cassia  loved  Barnabas,  he  could  do  nothing  but  flee  the 
Holy  City,  and  so  drifted  along,  not  daring  to  find  out 
the  truth.  The  suspense  could  not  much  longer  be 
borne. 

As  he  retired  to  his  chamber  after  the  conversation,  he 
sat  down  to  commune  with  himself,  and  decide  upon 
some  course  of  action.  His  was  no  ordinary  affection. 
The  world  without  little  Cassia  would  be  a  desert. 

"Was  I  born  for  this  strange,  unfathomable  emotion? 
O  Eros !  why  hast  thou  so  enslaved  me  ?  I  am  hope- 
lessly bound  by  thy  fetters.  But  stay !  unmindful  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  I  have  called  upon  the  name  of  the  strange 
deity  of  the  Greek.  I  crave  forgiveness,  O  Jehovah !  I 
would  not  blaspheme.  Perchance  she  hath  crowded 
thee  out  of  my  heart,  but  my  love  is  not  born  of  the 
senses.  It  is  my  spirit  and  life,  O  Cassia!  that  I  would 
mingle  with  thine. 

"Wherever  I  look  I  behold  thee!  Thou  art  sunshine 
in  the  midst  of  darkness !  I  dare  not  gaze  upon  thy 
features,  or  look  into  thine  eyes;  for  thy  soul  shines  out 


AFTER    THE  STORM  153 

and  dazzles  me.  O  little  Cassia  !  I  was  here  with  thee 
even  while  I  was  absent.  As  I  neared  Jerusalem,  I 
dreamed  of  Paradise,  but  was  plunged  into  the  valley  of 
Gehenna  !  O  Future,  speak  !  and  make  known  my  fate ! " 


Love  e'en  through  absence  waxeth  strong, 
Doth  souls  when  parted  fast  enchain : 

Fruition,  hasten !  wait  not  long, 

O  heavenly  Queen !  begin  thy  reign. 

The  synagogue  of  the  Cyrenians  was  in  the  valley  of 
the  Cheesemongers,  a  little  to  the  northeast  of  the  Pool 
of  Siloam.  It  was  a  simple,  square  building,  severely 
plain  in  the  interior,  with  Scripture-texts  printed  on  the 
whitewashed  walls.  The  platform  was  enclosed  by  a 
rail,  and  occupied  at  times  by  any  male  member  of  the 
synagogue  who  could  read  and  expound  the  Law.  The 
seats  were  divided  into  two  sections  by  a  lattice-work 
partition,  the  men  occuping  one  side,  and  the  women  the 
other.  The  services  were  not  confined  to  the  Sabbath, 
but  often  held  on  other  days  of  the  week,  and  sometimes 
in  the  evening. 

It  was  a  bright  morning,  and  the  synagogue  was 
thronged  with  worshippers,  part  being  Sadducees;  and 
there  were  also  many  Jews  who  were  pilgrims  from  the 
countries  beyond  Judea,  having  remained  after  the  Feast 
of  Pentecost.  It  had  been  noised  abroad  that  Stephanos, 
the  eloquent  young  apostle  of  the  New  Faith,  would 
speak  touching  the  interpretation  of  the  Law  and  proph- 
ets. Many  knew  of  him;  for  he  had  healed  some  sick 
folk,  and  done  signs  and  wonders  among  the  common 


154  VICTOR  SERENUS 

people.  Abdiel,  Benoni,  Saulus,  and  Cassia  convened 
with  the  congregation.  The  rulers  of  the  synagogue 
had  consented  that  Stephanos  should  lead  in  the  exposi- 
tion of  Scripture  for  that  day.  Comely  and  youthful  in 
appearance,  he  stepped  upon  the  platform,  and  searching 
among  the  rolls  of  the  Law,  brought  out  many  passages, 
which  he  read  and  briefly  expounded  as  he  passed  along. 
He  then  re-rolled  them  carefully,  and  putting  them  away, 
addressed  the  assembly. 

"  Ye  men  of  Israel !  I  count  myself  happy  to  proclaim 
to  you  the  Dispensation  now  beginning,  which  betokens 
the  fulfilment  of  great  promises,  not  to  the  Jews  only, 
but  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Ye  are  the  inheritors 
of  the  promise  made  to  Abraham :  '  And  in  thy  seed 
shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.'  And 
again,  Moses  indeed  saith,  '  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord 
God  raise  up  unto  you  from  among  your  brethren,  like 
unto  me ;  to  him  shall  ye  hearken  in  all  things,  whatso- 
ever he  shall  speak  unto  you.'  Daniel  prophesieth  of 
the  setting  up  of  '  an  everlasting  kingdom,'  and  this  king- 
dom is  at  hand.  David  asked  to  '  find  a  habitation  for 
the  God  of  Jacob.'  '  But  the  Most  High  dwelleth  not  in 
houses  made  with  hands; '  as  saith  the  prophet, — 

'  The  heaven  is  my  throne, 
And  the  earth  the  footstool  of  my  feet.' 

"  And  now,  behold  Jesus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth,  was 
he  in  whom  '  all  the  families  of  the  earth  shall  be 
blessed.'  Him  have  ye  slain,  and  taken  his  blood  upon 
you  and  your  children.  He  was  the  Son  of  God;  and 
his  kingdom,  being  a  spiritual  kingdom,  will  know  no 


AFTER    THE  STORM  155 

end.  Ye  look  for  a  king  who  will  restore  your  nation, 
but  I  warn  you  that  no  such  sign  may  be  given.  The 
kingdom  of  God  filleth  the  whole  earth.  The  Holy 
Spirit  hath  been  poured  out,  and  dwelleth  with  all  who 
seek  its  guidance.  Jesus,  after  the  flesh,  we  know  no 
more  ;  but  the  same  spirit  that  was  in  him  aboundeth 
unto  all  who  will  receive  it.  It  yieldeth  fruits  of  faith, 
hope,  love,  courage,  and  patience,  and  is  peaceful,  long- 
suffering,  and  kind.  It  is  an  awakening  of  a  higher  life 
and  mind  in  men,  be  they  Jew  or  Gentile.  Behold  it 
maketh  all  things  new,  for  its  faith  is  fruitful  and  mul- 
tiplieth  all  good.  God  requireth  not  sacrifices,  burnt- 
offerings,  and  ceremonial  oblations,  but  would  have  a 
pure  worship.  Neither  doth  circumcision  avail  anything 
except  it  be  of  the  heart.  Ye  turn  your  backs  upon  the 
commandment  of  God  while  holding  fast  to  the  tradition 
of  men." 

"  Behold  the  reviler  of  the  Chosen  People  and  our  holy 
Law,"  cried  a  voice,  interrupting.  It  was  that  of  Saulus. 
"  Men  of  Israel  !  I  call  ye  to  witness  the  blasphemy 
which  cometh  out  of  his  mouth.  He  hath  spoken  against 
the  Temple,  and  contemned  the  Holy  of  Holies  which  is 
the  dwelling-place  of  the  God  of  our  fathers.  He  hath 
extolled  the  impostor,  whom  our  people,  with  righteous 
indignation,  crucified  in  the  company  of  thieves.  He 
profaneth  and  setteth  at  naught  the  circumcision.  He 
revileth  all  the  holy  ordinances  which  were  commanded 
of  our  fathers,  and  would  turn  the  Hebrew  worship  up- 
side down.  I  adjure  ye,  O  men  of  Israel !  that  ye  have 
account  of  his  words,  and  he  shall  answer  before  the 
Sanhedrin." 


156  VICTOR  SERENUS 

There  was  great  confusion  in  the  assembly ;  and  some 
were  minded  to  bear  Stephanos  away  by  force,  and  others 
that  he  be  permitted  to  speak.  He  raised  his  hand  as 
a  signal  for  silence,  but  the  uproar  continued.  Finding 
that  the  tumult  could  not  be  quelled,  he  left  the  syna- 
gogue under  the  protection  of  a  few  apostles  of  the  New 
Faith,  declaring  that  he  would  speak  further  of  the  com- 
ing Dispensation  on  the  morrow. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Saulus  received  the 
hearty  greetings  of  his  friends  at  the  Sheepmarket  Be- 
sides the  families  of  Benoni  and  the  innkeeper,  many 
of  the  former  friends  of  Saulus,  members  of  the  Urim, 
came  to  encourage,  and  if  necessary  support,  their  valiant 
leader  in  the  warfare  he  had  in  view.  There  was  a  se- 
cret gathering  of  the  order  the  same  evening ;  and  it  was 
finally  agreed  that  all  would  be  at  the  Cyrenian  syna- 
gogue at  the  next  meeting,  and  that  Stephanos  should 
not  be  allowed  to  speak. 

After  parting  with  his  comrades  for  the  night,  Saulus 
returned  to  the  inn.  The  evening  was  sultry;  and  he 
went  to  the  house-top  to  breathe  the  fresh  air,  and  cool 
the  feverish  emotions  which  stirred  him.  The  moon  was 
full ;  and  the  City  of  David,  with  the  mountains  which 
encompass  it,  lay  spread  out  in  clear  outline  and  dreamy 
repose.  Other  persons  were  scattered  in  different  parts 
of  the  commodious  resort  upon  the  roof;  but  as  Saulus 
was  in  a  troubled  mood,  he  sought  a  retired  corner  where 
he  could  be  alone.  Absorbing  as  had  been  the  interest 
in  his  people,  their  religion,  and  the  impending  conflict 
with  Stephanos,  his  thoughts  of  these  things  were  speed- 


AFTER    THE  STORM  157 

ily  crowded  out  by  the  ever-present  image  of  little  Cassia. 
She  had  been  enshrined  in  his  thoughts  so  long  that  she 
had  gained  a  rightful  residence,  and  he  could  not  dis- 
miss her  if  he  would.  She  was  the  unanswered  question 
that  stirred  his  heart,  ever  pressing  for  solution,  so  that 
it  kept  his  soul  in  a  constant  agitation.  His  ruling  as- 
piration, learning,  and  leadership  in  the  church  of  his 
fathers,  nay,  his  whole  character  and  life,  seemed  to  be 
merged  and  transformed  into  a  great  passionate  longing 
for  the  ever-present  Ideal  which  was  mirrored  in  his  souL 
It  was  the  charming  but  uncertain  centre  about  which 
everything  else  revolved. 

The  stillness  of  the  starry  heavens  rebuked  the  mad- 
ness of  his  wild  passion,  and  pleaded  eloquently  for  seren- 
ity among  the  disorderly  elements  of  human  attachment ; 
but  the  appeal  was  unheeded.  The  pinions  of  his  soul 
beat  and  were  wounded  against  the  bars  of  the  cage 
which  hemmed  him  in.  A  love  so  supreme  was  tyran- 
nical, so  that  he  almost  wished  to  be  freed,  and  that  it 
might  all  vanish  from  his  breast.  He  felt  oppressed, 
fevered,  and  thoroughly  enslaved.  He  leaned  forward, 
bowed  his  head,  and  tightly  pressed  his  throbbing  brow. 
A  misty,  strange  vision  possessed  him.  Everything  he 
beheld  was  being  rent  in  twain.  Some  Force  took  hold 
of  him,  and  he  felt  as  if  his  own  soul  were  severed  and 
divided.  At  length  he  saw  Cassia  borne  away  through 
the  air  by  some  implacable  Power,  but  her  hands  were 
stretched  out  imploringly  towards  him.  He  unconsciously 
uttered  a  deep  groan,  and  the  intensity  of  his  agony 
aroused  him.  A  quick,  light  step,  and  some  one  was  at 
his  side.  He  lifted  his  head,  and  saw  Cassia. 


158  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Art  thou  ill,  Saulus  ?  Behold,  I  heard  thee  speak 
loudly  as  if  in  anguish,  and  thou  calledst  my  name." 

"  O  Cassia  !  I  had  fallen  asleep,  and  dreamed  of  evil. 
Regard  it  not,  I  pray  thee  !  " 

"But,  Saulus,  thou  art  pale  and  trembling.  I  will 
bring  wine  to  refresh  thee." 

"  Nay,  I  want  for  nothing  but  peace  and  rest,  and  they 
can  come  only  of  the  Future." 

"  I  would  give  thee  comfort,  Saulus.  Behold  thou 
didst  call  my  name !  Wast  thou  dreaming  of  me  ?  " 

"  Little  Cassia !  I  had  a  vision  that  some  fateful 
Power  was  bearing  thee  away,  and  as  we  were  separated 
thou  didst  stretch  out  thy  hands  imploringly  toward 
me.  What  meaneth  the  vision?  Is  it  that  we  must 
part?" 

"  O  Saulus !  Knowest  thou  not  that  it  was  but  an  idle 
dream  ? " 

"  But  thou  only  canst  interpret  it.  Behold,  O  little 
Cassia,  thy  image  abideth  in  my  soul.  I  love  thee! 
Wouldst  thou  be  parted  from  me  ?  Does  another  possess 
thy  heart  ?  Heaven  grant  that  my  fears  have  been  idle 
concerning  thee ! " 

Cassia,  with  her  pale  face  full  in  the  moonlight,  and 
her  large  eyes  bedewed  like  morning  flowers,  listened  as 
he  poured  out  his  heart.  At  length  her  lips  moved. 

"O  Saulus!  I  love  no  one  else!  Throughout  all  thy 
absence  thou  hast  been  dear  to  me!  Thy  image  hath 
been  enshrined  in  my  soul !  My  dear  Saulus  "  —  but  her 
emotion  was  too  powerful  for  further  words. 

She  bent  her  bright  young  face  upon  his  shoulder,  and 
the  feeling  that  her  love  was  now  free  to  show  itself  was 


AFTER    THE  STORM  159 

like   the  breaking  of   a   great  barrier.     Her  voice  was 

choked,  and  her  heart  beat  wildly. 

Saulus  put  his  arm  gently  around  her  light  form,  and 

looking  up,  said,  — 

"  Heaven  bless  the  day  when  first  I  saw  thee ! " 

The  orb  of  night  hath  looked  down  upon  many  such 

scenes  among  the  children  of  men. 

There  was  a  few  moments  of  silence,  for  the  over- 
charged souls  were  too  full  for  utterance.  Happiness, 
sweet  and  irresistible,  unchangeable  and  forever,  was  as- 
sured. The  shining  firmament  above  their  heads  was 
now  echoing  a  great  benediction,  and  the  dread  vision  of 
an  hour  before  had  dissolved  and  was  forgotten.  Noth- 
ing henceforth  could  rend  such  a  cementing  of  affection. 
They  were  one  in  love,  motive,  and  religion;  and  there 
was  but  a  single  dream  of  the  future.  At  length  the  agita- 
tion with  which  their  souls  had  been  surcharged  was 
calmed,  and  a  mystical  and  indescribable  repose  was 
borne  in  upon  them.  Not  merely  their  own  hearts,  but 
the  silvery  sheen  of  the  moonlight  upon  them,  the  still 
night  air  around  them,  yea,  the  whole  universe,  spoke  of 
love  ;  and  there  was  no  other  language. 

Not  until  they  were  about  to  part  did  their  thoughts 
descend  to  things  mundane,  or  even  to  the  stirring  reli- 
gious events  of  the  day,  or  those  which  the  morrow  might 
bring  forth. 

"I  had  delight  in  thy  valiant  defence  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion in  the  synagogue,"  said  Cassia.  "  I  watched  thee 


160  VICTOR  SERENUS 

through  the  lattice,  and  rejoiced  in  every  word  thou  didst 
utter.  I  am  exalted  to  possess  the  love  of  one  who  is  so 
loyal  to  our  people.  Thou  art  strong  to  bring  the  false 
teachers  and  all  our  enemies  to  naught." 

"  I  am  doubly  rewarded  by  thy  favor  in  my  chosen 
work." 

Changed  was  the  world,  religion,  life,  and  the  future 
to  both  at  the  close  of  that  evening  upon  the  house-top. 


A   ROMAN  PARADE  l6l 


CHAPTER  XVII 

A   ROMAN   PARADE 

"  Roomy  Eternity 
Casts  her  schemes  rarely, 
And  an  aeon  allows 
For  each  quality  and  part 
Of  the  multitudinous 
And  many-chambered  heart." 

THE  spread  of  the  New  Faith,  and  the  hold  that  it  took 
upon  increasing  numbers  of  the  common  people  of  the 
Holy  City,  furnishes  a  wonderful  illustration  of  the  inner 
power  of  a  simple,  spiritual  religion.  Its  purity  and 
depth  were  outwardly  manifested  by  the  general  subor- 
dination among  its  followers  of  the  strongest  of  all 
human  passions,  — selfishness.  They  were  so  filled  with 
the  spirit  of  brotherhood  that  they  counted  it  a  privilege 
to  put  their  possessions  into  the  common  stock,  in  order 
to  give  to  each  one  as  he  had  need.  There  was  no 
forced  or  legal  communism,  but  a  voluntary  local  and 
temporary  dominance  of  the  great  future  human  Ideal. 
The  law  of  the  inherent  blessedness  of  giving  out  — 
whether  of  spiritual  or  material  treasure  —  was  practi- 
cally realized,  and  the  harmonizing  and  uplifting  power 
of  a  true  reciprocity  proven.  The  exercise  of  a  helpful 
ministry  marked  a  real  nobility  and  greatness,  and  its 
activities  of  relief  and  healing  make  up  a  unique  epoch 
in  human  history. 


1 62  VICTOR   SERENUS 

Wherever  religion  has  dropped  from  simplicity  and 
spirituality,  and  become  scholastic,  dogmatic,  ceremo- 
nial, or  a  matter  of  the  State,  it  has  lost  its  power  to 
mould  life,  and  heal  the  weaknesses  and  disorders  of 
mind  and  body.  With  almost  no  organization,  system, 
or  theology,  there  was  a  dynamic  quality  among  the 
primitive  believers,  the  phenomena  of  which  are  worthy 
of  the  study  of  every  one  who  would  fathom  the  divine 
economy  of  man.  A  gospel,  or  "Godspel,"  was  mani- 
fested. The  joy  and  gladness  which  came  from  a  dem- 
onstration of  the  practical  working  of  the  divine  spirit 
in  humanity  was  the  natural  fruit  of  a  release  from  the 
shackles  of  a  dead  ceremonialism.  It  was  a  sponta- 
neous outburst  of  what  before  had  been  within,  but 
latent. 

The  divine,  unchangeable  Perfection  had  not  changed 
or  improved  in  the  "  pouring  out "  of  the  Spirit,  but  hu- 
man receptivity  was  newly  and  voluntarily  opened.  Re- 
ligion, as  a  spiritual  life,  introduces  a  practical  oneness 
with,  and  re-enforcement  of,  divinity  in  man,  which  fruits 
in  "  wonderful  works  "  as  a  natural  and  orderly  articula- 
tion. The  bestowment  of  spiritual  favor  on  the  God- 
ward  side  can  never  be  less  than  full  and  perfect,  else 
would  there  be  variableness  and  uncertainty.  Law, 
which  is  divine  method,  is  as  reliable  in  the  spiritual 
as  the  material  realm;  and  the  same  compliance  with  its 
orderly  activity  and  employment  will  forever  bring  like 
results.  The  "  signs  that  follow  them  who  believe  "  will 
never  fail,  but  belief  in  this  sense  signifies  a  spiritual 
understanding  deeper  than  mere  intellectual  assent.  A 
renewal  of  the  marvellous  "works"  of  the  Primitive 


A    ROMAN  PARADE  163 

Church  will  come  whenever  a  like  spiritual  dominance 
over  external  conditions  is  gained.  Chronology  changes 
no  law  of  Being.  The  divine  economy,  being  eternally 
perfect,  is  not  subject  to  the  wavering  moods  of  human 
vacillation.  They  must  conform  to  it,  and  not  it  to 
them.  Then,  as  man  comes  into  at-one-ment  with  divine 
laws  and  forces,  he  is  backed  by  their  energy,  and  com- 
mands their  accomplishments.  The  New  Dispensation 
was  new  only  to  the  awareness  of  man.  The  variation 
of  personal  standpoint  makes  a  seeming  movement  of 
the  whole  divine  Order. 

Serenus  had  been  long  ripening  for  the  conditions 
which  came  into  outward  exercise  so  spontaneously 
among  the  primitive  believers.  In  the  earlier  part  of 
his  life,  while  among  the  Essenes  and  Therapeutae,  he 
had  witnessed  much  of  the  power  which  is  linked  to 
spiritual  devotion,  and  participated  measurably  in  it. 
His  transparent  character  and  inner  development,  with 
the  active  exercise  of  a  healing  ministry,  had  marked 
him  as  rare  in  attainment  while  young  in  years.  But 
during  his  connection  with  the  school  of  Gamaliel,  these 
qualities  were  somewhat  quiescent,  while  a  more  dis- 
tinctive intellectual  development  was  taking  place.  But 
under  the  influence  of  the  new  movement  his  spiritual 
forces  came  to  the  front  in  full  measure.  He  was  every- 
where active  in  healing  the  sick,  strengthening  the  weak, 
instructing  the  ignorant,  and  sowing  the  seed  for  a  spirit- 
ual harvest.  His  miracles  of  healing  came  from  an 
intelligent  wielding  of  the  divine  potencies,  which,  un- 
recognized and  latent,  dwell  in  the  inmost  of  every 
human  "image  of  God." 


164  VICTOR  SERENUS 

In  the  early  morning  of  the  day  after  the  meeting  in 
the  Cyrenian  synagogue,  there  was  a  street  parade  of 
Roman  legionaries,  as  was  usual  at  short  intervals,  that 
the  people  of  Jerusalem  might  have  constantly  before 
their  eyes  the  tokens  of  imperial  dominion.  The  impos- 
ing military  column  started  from  the  Tower  of  Antonia, 
and  after  marching  around  a  long  circuit,  passed  through 
the  Square  of  the  Sheepmarket  on  its  return.  Most  of 
the  Jews,  especially  the  better  classes,  resolutely  kept 
out  of  sight,  with  every  portal  and  window  closed,  as  the 
hated  Romans  passed  by.  But  to  the  rabble,  music  and 
pageantry  were  attractive.  The  blare  of  trumpets  sig- 
nalled their  approach.  In  advance  was  a  vanguard  of 
spearmen,  with  gilded  helmets,  mailed  breastplates,  and 
shields  upon  the  left  arm,  marching  with  a  rhythm  so 
perfect  that  they  seemed  like  a  huge  machine,  working 
with  automatic  regularity  and  perfection.  The  bronzed 
faces,  brown,  muscular  limbs,  and  mailed  armor,  with 
their  exact  mechanical  swing,  made  them  seem  more 
like  men  of  iron  than  of  flesh.  Then  came  the  ensigns, 
with  banners  and  pennants  floating  in  air,  and  in  their 
midst,  upon  a  tall  rod,  an  emblematic  gilded  eagle  with 
outstretched  wings.  Next  were  bowmen  and  slingers  in 
close  column  of  ranks  and  files,  stretching  out  far  in 
the  distance.  Then  a  group  of  mounted  officers,  com- 
manders of  cohorts,  and  centurions  with  a  guard,  and 
long  array  of  cavalry,  all  speaking  eloquently  of  the 
heavy  mailed  hand  of  Caesar.  The  huzzas  of  the  sol- 
diers were  often  answered  by  the  hisses  and  sneers  of 
the  onlookers,  but  outbreaks  were  not  frequent.  But  as 
they  passed  the  inn  of  the  Sheepmarket,  Rabbi  Abdiel 


A   ROMAN  PARADE  165 

looked  down  upon  them  from  the  roof,  and  with  a  sudden 
impulse  raised  his  arms  toward  heaven,  and  in  a  loud 
voice  called  down  upon  the  moving  mass  the  curses  of 
Jehovah.  At  first  the  soldiers  gave  no  attention  to  his 
maledictions  except  to  send  up  a  few  jeers  and  shouts 
of  derision;  but  as  he  continued,  a  centurion  below 
gave  an  order  to  a  rank  of  soldiers, — 

"  Enter  and  seize  the  Jewish  dog !  To  the  Tower  with 
him  !  " 

This  was  done,  and  the  location  of  the  offending  inn 
noted.  But  there  was  no  halt  of  the  long,  glittering  col- 
umn, which  continued  its  winding  march  until  it  passed 
over  the  great  drawbridge,  and  was  lost  to  sight  as  it 
entered  the  broad  frowning  portal  of  Antonia. 

Upon  his  return,  the  Commandant  of  the  Tower  found 
a  little  deputation  awaiting  him  with  a  petition.  They 
were  members  of  the  congregation  of  the  New  Faith,  who 
having  heard  that  a  tumult  was  probable  at  the  Cyrenian 
synagogue,  and  that  the  young  deacon  Stephanos  was  in 
danger,  asked  for  the  protection  of  the  Roman  authori- 
ties. The  request  was  heard,  but  refused,  and  they  were 
flippantly  dismissed. 

"By  Bacchus  !  "  said  the  Commandant.  "We  are  not 
here  to  take  account  of  all  your  hair-splitting  religious 
quarrels  and  tumults.  We  understand  them  not,  and  have 
no  care  for  them  so  long  as  Cassar's  prerogatives  are 
unquestioned.  Fight  out  your  own  differences  !  Your 
petition  doth  not  concern  us  ! " 

At  a  later  hour  the  meeting  at  the  synagogue  was  to 
take  place.  Long  before  the  time,  the  room  was  crowded 


1 66  VICTOR  SERENUS 

to  the  utmost,  and  a  dense  throng  gathered  in  the  streets 
outside.  There  was  an  air  of  unwonted  excitement  and 
expectation.  Wild  rumors  had  flown  thick  and  fast,  that 
Stephanos  would  boldly  attack  the  whole  ceremonial  sys- 
tem, and  that  there  was  a  strong  faction  organized  for 
resistance.  It  was  said  that  if  he  offended  they  might 
forcibly  bring  him  before  the  Sanhedrin,  which  would  be 
in  special  session. 

The  meeting  opened.  Stephanos  arose  calmly,  and, 
after  reading  a  few  passages  from  the  prophets,  began 
his  address,  — 

"  Brethren  and  friends  !  Again  with  joy  I  proclaim 
unto  you  the  first  fruits  of  the  New  Dispensation  of  the 
Spirit  of  Truth.  The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  increased; 
and  mighty  works,  signs,  and  ministries  are  being  wrought 
in  our  midst.  From  out  of  the  dead  works  of  your  or- 
dinances and  traditions  there  has  sprung  a  New  Faith, 
even  that  proclaimed  by  the  Nazarene,  who  rebuked  your 
hypocrisy,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  an  unseen  and  uni- 
versal spiritual  kingdom.  Lo !  as  he  hath  prophesied, 
the  Spirit  is  'poured  out,'  and  many  not  of  the  Leviti- 
cal  order  are  inspired  to  teach  and  preach." 

As  Stephanos  continued,  he  waxed  eloquent,  and  spake 
with  great  vigor.  It  seemed  not  to  be  the  young  man 
himself  who  was  speaking,  but  some  mighty  power  which 
was  manifested  through  him.  A  Spirit  was  within  which 
was  so  intense  that  it  shone  through  his  face,  and  his 
words  were  so  powerful  that  his  hearers  were  spellbound. 

But  the  spell  was  broken  by  a  signal  which  was  at 
once  followed  by  a  fierce  rush  upon  the  platform.  The 
bustling  form  of  Saulus,  with  fiery  face,  flashing  eyes, 


A   ROMAN  PARADE  l6/ 

and  clinched  fists,  was  in  the  midst;  and  above  the  noise 
of  the  uproar  his  loud  voice  echoed  through  the  syna- 
gogue, — 

"  Seize  the  traitor !  Down  with  the  blasphemer !  Drag 
him  out !  To  the  Sanhedrin  !  To  the  Sanhedrin  !  " 

The  members  of  the  Society  of  the  Urim  were  in  the 
forefront;  and  besides,  there  had  gathered  a  rabble  from 
the  streets  who  were  eager  to  join  the  mob.  A  little 
band  of  the  disciples  of  the  New  Faith  clustered  about 
Stephanos  with  devoted  and  loving  faithfulness,  but  acted 
only  as  a  defensive  shield,  and  were  soon  borne  down  by 
the  force  and  ferocity  of  greatly  superior  numbers.  Amid 
wild  shouts  and  confusion  the  little  band  was  scattered, 
and  Stephanos  seized  and  taken  out  of  the  synagogue. 

"  Ha !  Where  is  the  great  kingdom  ?  Hath  it  been 
set  up?  Where  is  its  throne?  "  said  Saulus.  "We  shall 
make  short  work  of  thee  and  all  thy  kind !  Come  on, 
witnesses  !  To  the  Sanhedrin  !  To  the  Sanhedrin ! " 

Stephanos  was  dragged  up  the  steep  road  to  the  "  Hall 
of  Squares,"  where  the  august  court  was  in  session.  On 
the  way  he  made  no  resistance,  and  amid  jeers,  savage 
yells,  and  curses,  was  led  along.  With  loud  commands, 
Saulus  headed  the  throng. 

The  seventy-one  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  were  seated 
at  the  farther  end  of  the  spacious  hall,  in  tiers  of  seats 
rising  from  the  centre,  and  sweeping  around  in  an  impos- 
ing semicircle.  Annas  was  High  Priest  and  presiding 
officer  on  this  occasion.  They  had  been  apprised  of  the 
fact  that  Stephanos  would  be  brought  before  them,  and 
were  ready  to  receive  him.  He  was  led  in  by  Saulus 
and  the  witnesses;  as  many  of  the  throng  following  as 


1 68  VICTOR  SERENUS 

could  find  room  in  the  public  part  of  the  hall.  Every- 
thing was  ready,  and  pointed  to  a  foregone  conclusion. 
The  charges  were  made ;  and  the  witnesses  stood  up,  one 
by  one,  to  confront  and  make  testimony  against  their 
victim. 

"  I  heard  him  speak  against  the  Holy  Place,  and  blas- 
pheme the  Law." 

"  I  heard  him  declare  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Nazarene 
would  destroy  the  Temple  service,  and  do  away  with  the 
Law  of  Moses." 

"I  heard  him  say  that  he  despised  our  sacred  tradi- 
tions and  ordinances." 

"I  heard  him  call  our  chief  priests  and  Rabbis  hypo- 
crites, and  speak  of  a  new  kingdom  not  of  the  Chosen 
People." 

"I  heard  him  proclaim  the  Messiahship  of  the  Gali- 
lean pretender,  and  blaspheme  Jehovah." 

"I  heard  him  speak  against  the  Circumcision,  and  call 
the  Nazarene  the  Son  of  God." 

Then  the  High  Priest,  clothed  in  the  imposing  robes 
of  his  office,  arose,  and  waving  his  hand,  asked  Stephanos 
to  plead  by  answering  the  formal  and  customary  ques- 
tion, "  Are  these  things  so  ?  " 

Stephanos  arose  to  make  answer.  Young,  handsome, 
and  tall,  with  dignified  manner,  he  wore  an  unwonted 
grandeur  in  looks,  words,  and  action.  He  began  an  elo- 
quent oration.  As  he  proceeded,  he  seemed  transfigured 
by  an  inner  consciousness  which  fairly  illumined  his 
countenance.  He  looked  his  accusers  in  the  face,  and 
they  quailed  before  him.  Even  the  fevered  and  fierce 
glance  of  Saulus  was  cast  down  when  the  penetrating 


A    ROMAN  PARADE  169 

look  of  the  saint  was  turned  upon  him.  A  marvellous 
inner  light  shone  out  through  his  face,  which  entirely 
transformed  its  expression.  It  was  heavenly,  rather  than 
defiant,  but  to  the  onlookers  it  was  awful.  While  it 
radiated  love  and  spiritual  exaltation,  to  them  it  was 
threatening  and  terrible.  Overshadowed  by  the  She- 
kinah,  there  was  an  intangible  halo  about  him,  in  which 
they  saw  mirrored  their  own  guilt  and  condemnation. 
As  he  continued,  a  raging  passion  boiled  in  their  hearts, 
even  though  for  a  time  they  were  spellbound.  His 
amazing  courage  and  stinging  truthfulness  were  paralyz- 
ing, and  they  could  no  longer  look  upon  that  terrible 
face. 

At  length  Stephanos  stopped  short  in  his  unanswer- 
able argument,  and  there  was  a  moment  of  silence. 
Then  he  gathered  up  the  full  measure  of  his  righteous 
wrath,  and  hurled  it  in  their  indignant  but  shrinking 
faces.  He  denounced  them  as  betrayers  and  murderers, 
and  lashed  them  with  invective,  terrible  but  true.  Then 
the  awful  spell  was  broken,  and  their  pent-up  hatred 
burst  all  bonds.  The  wonted  sedate  and  dignified  San- 
hedrin  exploded  with  anger.  Unable  longer  to  maintain 
any  semblance  of  judicial  procedure,  they  waxed  hot, 
gnashed  their  teeth,  clinched  their  fists,  and  hissed  and 
howled  like  wild  beasts. 

Traitor!  Blasphemer!  Slanderer!  Reprobate!  Heretic! 
were  some  of  the  names  that  were  hurled  at  Stephanos 
from  all  directions.  He  was  not  abashed,  but  the  burst 
of  holy  indignation  which  had  gone  forth  from  him  was 
ended.  It  was  aimed  at  their  actions  and  customs  rather 
than  themselves.  Though  severe,  it  was  not  vindictive 


I/O  VICTOR  SEXENUS 

or  intended  for  insult,  but  awakening.  But  reason  was 
unavailing.  Righteousness  is  a  standing  menace  and 
rebuke  to  guilt.  Nothing  can  be  more  hateful. 

Stephanos  lifted  his  eyes  from  the  malignant  faces, 
rendered  demoniacal  by  surging  passion,  and  looked  up 
as  if  in  a  trance.  The  Sanhedrin,  with  all  its  bitter- 
ness, faded  from  his  sight,  and  became  to  him  as  though 
it  were  not.  An  ecstasy  was  upon  him,  and  he  saw  a 
beatific  vision.  While  the  human  wild  beasts  around 
him  growled  and  thirsted  for  his  blood,  his  eyes  were 
fastened  upon  a  realm  of  eternal  peace,  harmony,  and 
glory.  His  sublime  and  all-powerful  faith  ushered  him 
into  the  kingdom  of  the  Real,  while  the  temporary  and 
incidental  shrank  to  their  relative  nothingness. 

The  Sanhedrin  regarded  itself  as  eminent,  respectable, 
and  humane,  but  its  members  were  utterly  unable  to 
cognize  the  truth  that  was  clear  and  open  to  Stephanos. 
To  them  their  anger  was  a  righteous  anger,  which  exer- 
cised itself  in  the  service  of  Jehovah.  The  psychologi- 
cal wave  of  rage  swept  every  member  of  the  Jewish  High 
Court  off  his  feet,  and  bore  him  on.  But  were  they  sin- 
ners above  other  men?  History  before  and  since  teems 
with  like  transactions,  among  all  nations,  and  in  the 
name  of  all  religions. 

Stephanos  had  spoken  against  things  which  were  sa- 
cred and  infallible.  It  was  not  alone  his  burning  elo- 
quence, but  its  terrible  truth,  that  cut  them  to  the  heart 
and  made  their  blood  boil.  But  now  his  animate  body 
was  yet  in  their  midst,  but  he  was  no  longer  there.  He 
was  listening  to  a  heavenly  harmony,  and  not  to  a  deaf- 
ening clamor.  Expecting  him  to  continue,  they  had 


A   ROMAN  PARADE  171 

stopped  their  ears  to  shut  out  his  polluting  blasphemy. 
Then,  with  one  impulse,  they  arose  in  a  mass,  and  rushed 
upon  him.  Their  decision  was  spontaneous,  and  with- 
out any  legal  formality  or  deliberation.  They  dragged 
him  away  to  be  stoned  outside  the  city  gate.  The  spirit 
of  persecution  transformed  the  dignified  Sanhedrin  into 
a  revengeful  mob. 

Saulus  prompted  the  witnesses  when  they  gave  testi- 
mony, and  when  the  explosion  occurred  was  among  the 
foremost.  In  the  rush  that  was  made  from  the  hall  to 
the  street  his  diminutive  form  was  at  the  front,  and  with 
glowing  face  and  violent  gestures  he  urged  on  their  im- 
petuous movement.  As  they  passed  along  the  streets 
toward  the  Damascus  Gate,  they  were  joined  by  great 
masses  of  excited  men,  women,  and  children.  Stephanos 
made  no  resistance.  Shouts  and  imprecations  filled  the 
air.  The  members  of  the  New  Faith,  being  few  in  num- 
ber and  non-resistant  in  their  philosophy  of  living, 
made  no  opposition.  No  herald  preceded  him  to  pro- 
claim his  name  and  crime  as  was  usual  in  regular  cases 
of  legal  condemnation.  No  bitter  draft  containing 
frankincense  to  stupefy  the  senses,  and  take  away  the 
edge  of  pain  and  terror,  was  administered,  and  none  was 
needed.  Stephanos  could  not  suffer ;  for  he  was  already 
in  the  midst  of  spiritual  liberty,  joy,  and  peace.  The 
seething  mob  hurried  his  animate  form  along,  and  passed 
out  to  the  north  of  the  city  to  a  piece  of  open  ground 
on  the  border  of  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat. 

Stephanos  calmly  kneeled  down  without  being  bound 
or  fastened,  still  looking  up  and  beholding  a  vision  of 
glory.  His  upper  garments  were  stripped  off;  and  then, 


1/2  VICTOR  SERENUS 

for  the  first  time,  a  regular  proceeding  was  observed,  in 
that  the  witnesses  were  to  cast  the  first  stones.  At  length 
all  was  ready,  and  for  a  moment  there  was  a  silence  which 
was  oppressive.  Stretching  out  his  hands  toward  his 
murderers,  he  besought  from  above  their  forgiveness,  and 
gave  them  his  benediction.  The  stillness  continued,  the 
witnesses  were  spellbound,  and  the  throng  awed  and  im- 
movable. The  supreme  grandeur  and  spiritual  beauty 
that  shone  through  his  face  dazzled  and  benumbed  them, 
and  almost  deterred  them  from  their  purpose.  There 
was  a  visible  shrinking,  and  each  waited  for  the  other  to 
make  the  first  move.  But  Saulus  sprang  forth  and  broke 
the  spell.  With  frantic  manner  and  loud  voice,  he 
cried,  — 

"To  your  work,  O  witnesses!  Finish  the  Blasphemer! 
Heresy  must  be  crushed!  Hand  me  your  garments  that 
nothing  may  encumber,  and  cursed  be  he  who  holds 
back." 

The  tragedy  was  soon  ended. 

The  body  sank  to  earth,  its  resting-place ; 
Not  so  the  man.     He  lives  to  truth  and  right. 
He  flung  behind  all  strife,  and  in  the  race 
Mounts  on  and  up,  though  lost  to  mortal  sight. 

The  crowd  soon  melted  away ;  and  many  seemed  fear- 
ful, oppressed,  and  ashamed  of  their  part  in  the  transac- 
tion. Even  those  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  who  had 
accompanied  the  throng  were  troubled  in  spirit,  and 
made  haste  to  get  away.  But  Saulus  was  undaunted, 
and  returned  exultant  and  proud.  He  made  his  way 
back  to  the  Sheepmarket;  but  the  news  had  preceded 


A   ROMAN  PAKADE  1/3 

him,  and  as  he  entered  the  inn  he  received  the  congratu- 
lations of  all  except  Rebecca. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  the  little  group  met  in 
the  court  as  was  wont.  Rabbi  Abdiel  was  of  the  num- 
ber, having  been  released  from  the  Tower. 

"Thy  day's  work  hath  been  well  done,"  said  the  ven- 
erable Jew.  "  We  would  that  such  things  need  not  be, 
but  heresy  must  be  destroyed.  Mercy  to  our  people  and 
their  precious  traditions  demands  that  false  doctrine  be 
uprooted,  and  that  without  remedy.  Such  is  the  will  of 
the  Lord." 

"I  am  persuaded  that  this  pestilent  delusion  must  be 
put  down  at  once,"  replied  Saulus,  "or  peradventure 
it  will  spread  beyond  all  bounds.  I  shall  take  up  the 
work  with  power,  and  the  High  Priest  and  the  whole 
Sanhedrin  will  give  me  all  authority.  I  glory  in  the 
effectual  door  that  is  open  unto  me  whereby  I  may  do 
such  service." 

"These  are  tumultuous  days,"  said  Benoni.  "I  had 
not  believed  that  my  eyes  would  behold  such  things  in 
the  Holy  City,  but  anon  they  wax  worse  and  worse.  But 
it  is  expedient  that  thou  continue  as  thou  hast  begun." 

"  Behold,  O  son  of  Benoni !  thou  art  chosen  from 
among  our  people  to  lead  in  this  great  service,"  said 
Almon. 

"  It  behooveth  me  to  bring  this  conspiracy  to  naught, 
and  I  shall  lose  no  time  in  its  discomfiture." 

Rebecca  drew  her  brother  aside,  and  putting  her  arm 
about  him,  softly  said,  — 

"  O  my  Saulus !  I  am  persuaded  that  the  young  son  of 
Israel  who  saved  me  from  the  throng  on  the  day  of  Pente- 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


cost  would  condemn  this  day's  proceeding!  Remember 
he  called  himself  'the  friend  of  Saulus.'  " 

"  Did  he  belong  to  the  sect  of  the  Nazarene,  or  speak 
well  of  it?" 

"  Behold  I  wot  not  how  that  may  be,  but  he  was  so 
kind  and  noble  that  I  feel  he  would  have  none  of  perse- 
cution! O  Saulus!  must  you  continue  this  business?" 

"  Thou  deceivest  thyself,  "  said  Saulus,  with  an  impa- 
tient gesture.  "  The  man  is  no  friend  of  mine,  and  if 
he  be  a  follower  of  the  Nazarene  he  will  suffer  with  the 
rest." 

"  O  Saulus  !  I  pray  that  he  may  be  spared.  Behold 
the  favor  which  he  showed  me  !  " 

"  I  say  unto  thee  I  know  him  not  ;  and  if  he  be  a  her- 
etic, woe  be  to  him  !  " 

"  I  shall  try  to  find  him  out  and  warn  him  !  " 

"  It  would  be  well  for  thee,  Rebecca,  to  leave  the  Holy 
City,  and  seek  thy  home  in  Tarsus!  " 

Saulus  petulantly  turned  away,  and  passed  out  of  the 
court-yard. 

Cassia  was  waiting  in  the  passage,  and  sped  to  give 
him  congratulation. 

"  O  Saulus  !  thou  art  noble  and  brave  !  "  she  exclaimed, 
embracing  him.  "  I  glory  in  thy  courage  and  service. 
Behold  I  love  thee  even  more  than  I  was  wont  !  " 

Saulus  returned  the  warm  greeting. 

"Cassia,  love,  I  have  great  joy  in  thy  favor.  I  live 
for  thee  !  "  Then  grasping  her  small  hand  he  gave  it 
a  warm  kiss,  and  hastened  to  his  chamber. 

In  the  solitude  of  his  room  and  stillness  of  the  night, 
he  sat  down  to  review  the  events  of  the  day.  His  exhil- 


A    ROMAN  PARADE  175 

aration,  and  even  the  indorsement  and  congratulation  of 
his  friends,  gradually  seemed  to  vanish,  and  he  was  al- 
most forced  to  look  within  and  become  more  familiar 
with  himself.  He  was  surprised  at  the  clearness  and 
depth  of  the  picture  of  the  scene  of  the  day  which  seemed 
to  be  burnt  into  his  very  soul.  The  tragedy  beyond  the 
city  wall  stood  out  before  him  in  every  detail.  The 
throng,  the  shouts,  his  own  share,  the  murderous  act  of 
the  witnesses,  the  kneeling  victim,  his  entreaty  of  par- 
don for  his  slayers,  all  riveted  his  attention  as  keenly  as 
when  they  were  taking  place.  It  was  as  though  his  mind 
had  been  a  tablet  of  stone,  with  the  whole  scene  deeply 
chiselled  in  characters  which  could  never  be  erased 
or  hidden. 

"The  duty  of  the  day  is  done,  and  well  done,"  he 
said  to  himself;  "and  now  I  will  have  rest.  I  bid  fare- 
well to  this  event,  that  I  may  be  well  prepared  to  con- 
tinue the  warfare  to-morrow." 

But  it  would  not  depart. 

"  Nay,  begone !  I  would  not  live  it  over  more  to- 
night." 

But  it  became  more  obtrusive  than  ever. 

Thinking  to  divert  his  mind,  he  took  a  roll  containing 
a  copy  of  the  "  Mishna,"  with  its  six  hundred  and  thir- 
teen precepts,  and  began  to  read  them  slowly  in  order. 
But  even  upon  the  roll,  in  the  midst  of  the  clearly  in- 
scribed lines  which  recited  the  Jewish  code,  there  was 
the  scene,  the  tragedy !  He  impatiently  threw  down  the 
roll,  and  in  the  stillness  seemed  to  hear  a  voice  within. 

"Thou  art  guilty!  Thy  peace  hath  forsaken  thee! 
Thou  art  condemned!  condemned!  condemned!" 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


He  was  startled,  for  the  voice  was  so  distinct  that  it 
seemed  to  come  to  the  outer  hearing.  He  stopped  his 
ears  to  find  if  it  were  still  audible. 

"Condemned!  condemned  I  condemned!"  still  echoed  as 
before. 

He  arose  and  walked  to  and  fro,  and  made  audible 
answer. 

"Cease  thy  railing!  I  am  the  defender  of  my  people! 
I  will  fight  blasphemy  and  heresy,  and  nothing  shall 
hinder!  The  Chosen  People  will  honor  me!  Away, 
and  be  thou  choked,  thou  false  and  lying  spirit  !  I 
crush  thee,  and  will  increase  my  deeds  manifold!" 

He  then  extinguished  his  lamp,  and  retired  to  his 
couch  for  the  night.  But  his  sleep  was  broken,  and  he 
could  not  rest.  He  heard  angry  voices,  groans,  and 
noises,  and  saw  horrible  shapes.  But  at  length,  in  the 
midst  of  a  troubled  sleep,  he  was  suddenly  awakened 
Something  seemed  to  have  shaken  him.  With  a  shiver 
through  every  nerve,  he  sat  upright,  and  saw  a  bright 
object  in  the  blackness  before  him.  His  gaze  was  fas- 
tened, and  he  could  not  turn  it  aside. 

"  Away  !     Away  !     Trouble  me  not  !  " 

But  the  brightness  remained,  and  soon  began  to  trans- 
form itself.  Feature  after  feature  came  into  distinct 
outline.  It  was  a  shining  face.  Calm,  luminous,  and 
grand,  it  gazed  steadily  upon  him.  His  blood  froze  in 
his  veins  as  he  recognized  the  glorified  face  of  STEPHA- 
NOS. 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE     Iff 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE 

AMABEL  returned  to  her  father's  palace  in  a  state  of 
great  disquietude.  The  unexpected  meeting  with  Sere- 
nus,  but  vastly  more  its  unwonted  circumstances,  gave 
her  a  great  shock.  What  could  it  mean?  Serenus  walk- 
ing the  streets  of  the  Holy  City  in  the  company  of  a 
young  woman,  a  stranger,  in  a  manner  which  betokened 
great  familiarity !  Such  an  event,  witnessed  by  her  own 
eyes,  shook  and  threatened  to  disenthrone  her  Ideal,  and 
to  dissolve  everything  which  she  had  counted  solid  and 
sacred. 

Since  Amabel's  last  interview  with  Serenus,  she  had 
striven  loyally  to  banish  his  image  from  her  mind,  but 
with  variable  success.  At  times  she  almost  seemed  to 
feel  his  presence,  and  in  other  moods  persuaded  herself 
that  she  was  quite  resigned  to  the  inevitable  and  final 
separation  which  had  been  wisely  accepted  by  both. 

Amabel  was  an  idolized  favorite  in  the  Holy  City. 
Her  grace  and  beauty,  with  the  eminent  position  of  the 
Rabban,  gave  her  the  highest  social  distinction.  Who 
so  happy  as  Amabel?  The  centre  of  an  admiring  circle, 
the  petted  daughter  of  tender  parents,  surrounded  by  lux- 
ury, active  in  kindly  deeds,  and  loyal  to  her  religion, 
what  more  could  be  desired?  But  a  heaviness  was  in 


178  VICTOR  SERENUS 

her  heart,  and  the  world  about  her  was  prosaic  and  me- 
chanical. Her  social  and  religious  duties  were  faithfully 
performed,  and  she  enjoyed  the  favor  and  love  of  all; 
but,  alas,  a  worm  was  gnawing  at  the  root  of  a  comely 
flower.  There  was  a  subtle  unrest  and  secret  blight  that 
made  life  barren  and  joyless.  She  became  introspective, 
and  often  tried  to  weigh  her  motives,  obstacles,  and  as- 
pirations, as  in  a  pair  of  balances. 

The  Is  and  the  Might  Be  are  always  coming  up  for 
comparison  and  contrast  in  the  human  foreground.  On 
one  side,  Amabel  had  home,  friends,  social  position,  and 
the  accepted  religion  of  her  own  people,  and  on  the 
other,  Serenus,  his  love,  and  a  New  Faith  which  seemed 
strange  to  her.  Although  Serenus  had  assured  her  of  his 
devoted  and  undying  affection,  he  had  not  asked  or  ex- 
pected that  she  would  renounce  all  for  him.  He  had 
taken  it  for  granted  that  she  would  not  and  could  not. 
He  had  gracefully  accepted  the  stern  logic  of  the  situa- 
tion, and  cheerfully  made  the  great  sacrifice.  On  her 
part,  she  had  even  withheld  the  confession  of  her  own 
love,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  making  his  burden  lighter, 
and  his  renunciation  possible.  As  they  must  separate,  it 
would  be  easier  so. 

Since  the  evening  of  the  earnest  avowal  of  love  by 
Serenus,  and  the  mutual  acquiescence  in  the  imperative 
separation,  life  had  drifted  along;  but  the  whole  world 
was  changed.  Her  cheeks  had  lost  their  color,  and 
there  were  many  evidences  of  wearing  preoccupation. 
But  she  made  a  heroic  effort  to  fall  into  the  current  of 
what  was  expected  of  her,  and  firmly  resolved  to  cease 
all  iridescent  dreaming,  and  be  resigned. 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE     179 

After  the  chance  meeting,  Amabel  arrived  at  home 
almost  breathless,  and  avoiding  the  family,  hastened  to 
her  favorite  nook  upon  the  house-top.  Her  heart  was 
fluttering,  her  senses  swimming,  and  she  must  have  a 
little  time.  It  was  all  important  that  she  rally  her 
forces,  and  lift  herself  above  the  sudden  rush  of  waves 
which  threatened  to  ingulf  her.  She  began  to  reason 
with  herself,  and  to  cast  about  for  some  solid  ground 
upon  which  she  might  stand.  She  could  not  interpret 
her  own  soul.  There  were  two  voices  within,  and  each 
claimed  her.  Admitting  her  love  for  Serenus,  had  not 
all  forever  been  settled  between  them? 

But  was  there  another  ? 

"What  have  /  to  do  with  another?  Have  we  not 
parted  forever !  Ought  not  I  to  rejoice  even  in  his  hap- 
piness with  another ?  Oh,  my  heart!  I  cannot  under- 
stand thee !  Thou  seemest  not  to  reason,  but  to  feel !  " 


"  I  could  bear  parting,  did  I  but  know  that  I  was  thy 
sole  possession!  Nay,  were  I  never  more  to  behold  thy 
face,  I  could  rest  content  as  thine  !  thine  in  the  unseen ! 
thine  forever!  But  another!  Be  still,  heart!  I  will  not 
doubt  him!  I  am  divided  in  myself!  I  doubt  him,  and 
cannot  doubt  him!  Now,  I  am  decided!  I  thrust  out 
that  image  of  another !  I  see  only  thee !  Often  when  all 
was  still,  I  have  heard  the  tones  of  thy  sweet  voice !  The 
sunrise  and  the  sunset  have  been  laden  with  the  bright- 
ness of  thy  lofty  soul!  In  my  dreams  I  wander  with 
thee,  not  upon  the  hard  and  dusty  paths  of  earth,  but  in 
the  ambient  air,  and  beyond  the  clouds!  I  need  not  see 


ISO  VICTOR  SERENUS 

thee  with  mortal  eyes  in  order  to  mount  by  thy  side,  and 
command  the  range  of  created  things !  " 


"Away!  That  cruel  vision  again  forces  itself  upon 
me !  Not  that  I  wish  her  ill !  But  there  can  be  but  one  ! 
Down,  hateful  thoughts!  I  will  not  doubt  him!  But  is 
it  anything,  now  that  we  are  separated  ?  Everything  ! 
We  are  together,  though  apart!  Even  beyond  the  grave 
will  we  commune  with  each  other!  Ah!  then  it  were 
sweet,  even  to  die !  " 

"  The  ebb  and  flow  of  my  heart  is  unto  thee !  Crowds 
that  flatter  and  would  serve  me  pass  by,  but  only  thou 
art  near  me !  O  Future !  art  thou  ours  together  ?  Back ! 
that  dark  vision  haunts  me  again!  I  would  not,  I  will 
not  behold  it!" 


The  thick  curtains  of  night  had  been  drawn,  and  Am- 
abel was  missing.  The  household  of  Gamaliel  began  to 
be  apprehensive ;  but  bethinking  themselves  of  her  favor- 
ite resort,  ascended  to  look  for  her,  believing  she  might 
have  fallen  asleep.  Her  prostrate  form  was  found  in  a 
state  of  feverish  unconsciousness.  Kind  hands  bore  her 
tenderly  below,  and  loving  hearts  exercised  themselves 
in  every  form  of  devoted  ministration.  Her  body  was 
motionless,  except  that  her  lips  were  moved  in  an  inco- 
herent muttering.  The  skill  of  the  physicians  was  ex- 
erted to  the  utmost  to  arouse  her,  but  hour  after  hour 
passed  without  any  visible  change.  Her  illness  was 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE       l8l 

found  to  be  a  violent  fever  in  the  head,  and  it  was  whis- 
pered that  peradventure  it  was  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
healing  art.  But  however  it  might  end,  it  would  be  long 
and  desperate. 

By  the  next  morning  Amabel's  condition  was  some- 
what changed.  She  moved  restlessly  upon  her  couch, 
and  had  recurring  intervals  of  consciousness,  but  the 
burning  fever  was  continuous.  She  begged  for  water 
and  fresh  air,  both  of  which  were  denied  her  except  in 
very  sparing  quantities,  for  fear  of  harm.  Strong  med- 
icaments, of  a  quality  which  produced  disgust  and  loath- 
ing, were  faithfully  administered,  but  no  healing  effect 
was  manifest. 

How  futile  and  superficial  the  devices  of  the  healing 
art,  in  any  and  all  ages,  in  its  attempts  to  deal  with 
maladies  of  the  soul!  And  who  will  declare  that  the 
deep  and  obscure  fountain  of  all  ailments  is  not  located 
in  the  unseen  and  immaterial  part !  Verily  the  springs 
of  man's  nature  are  hidden,  while  seen  and  secondary 
manifestation  is  upon  the  surface,  being  resultant. 

Weary  days  and  nights  dragged  their  slow  course 
along.  At  length  the  violence  of  the  fever  abated,  but 
the  pale  face  and  wasted  form  spoke  eloquently  of  the 
vanity  of  human  effort  in  her  behalf.  Her  glassy  eyes 
and  sunken  cheeks  proclaimed  an  impending  collapse  of 
the  mortal  tenement.  The  pure  white  soul  was  nearing 
the  portal  of  the  earthly  tabernacle,  apparently  soon  to 
step  out. 

The  physicians  solemnly  announced  that  the  end  was 
not  far  away,  and  that  it  could  not  be  averted.  As  a 
weary  toiler  at  the  close  of  day  lays  down  the  instrument 


1 82  VICTOR  SERENUS 

he  has  wielded,  so  the  daughter  of  the  Rabban  must  put 
aside  that  seen  counterpart  which  no  longer  could  serve 
her. 

Gamaliel  was  bowed  with  grief.  When  not  at  the  bed- 
side of  his  daughter,  he  seemed  dazed,  and  was  barely 
able  to  bear  the  mechanical  round  of  his  daily  duties. 
Was  the  sweet  flower  of  his  family  to  be  uprooted?  the 
light  of  his  houshold  to  go  out? 

Embowered  awhile  so  tenderly  in  hearts  of  love, 

Like  some  pure  gem,  enclosed  so  safe  in  setting  rare, 

The  tenement  outgrown,  and  now  the  soul  would  move, 
And  mount  to  larger  life  within  a  realm  more  fair. 


These  were  days  of  sombre  stillness  in  the  palace  of 
Gamaliel.  The  birth-pains  of  a  soul,  as  it  passes  into 
the  higher  life,  are  more  outside  than  within.  Every- 
thing around  is  smitten  and  takes  up  a  plaint,  even  when 
the  soul  that  goes  is  quickened,  and  its  own  path 
smoothed  and  lighted. 

Intervals  of  calmness  and  delirium  alternated  in  their 
possession  of  Amabel.  Her  frame  became  so  thin  and 
transparent  that  the  flashes  of  the  pulsating  self  seemed 
to  shine  through,  and  reveal  its  vital  dominance.  But 
her  incoherent  utterances  during  periods  of  aberration, 
though  very  weak,  gradually  became  more  distinct. 

"  Serenus !  Serenus !  "  was  plainly  upon  her  lips.  It 
was  repeated  again  and  again.  This  was  made  known 
to  Gamaliel.  He  was  a  wise  father  and  a  prudent  inter- 
preter. He  thought  deeply  upon  the  matter;  and  after  a 
brief  but  sharp  conflict  in  his  own  mind  between  parental 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE       183 

love  and  official  dignity,  the  former  prevailed,  and  he 
sat  down  and  wrote  a  hasty  letter. 

[RABBAN  GAMALIEL  TO  VICTOR  SHRENUS.] 

"  PALACE  OF  GAMALIEL,  Tammuz  XXV. 
"  O  Serenus !  my  friend  and  former  helper !  Peace  be  unto 
thee  !  Knowing  well  thy  noble  spirit  and  wise  prudence,  I  pray 
for  thy  kind  favor  in  my  affliction.  Touching  a  request  that  I 
make  unto  thee,  my  heart  is  rent  with  sorrow,  in  that  my  dear 
Amabel  is  soon  to  depart  from  our  midst.  She  hath  a  deadly 
disorder,  so  that  her  days  with  us  are  nearly  ended.  And  now 
I  have  to  inform  thee  that,  in  her  moments  of  sleep  or  wander- 
ing, she  speaketh  of  thee  and  calleth  thy  name.  Peradventure 
thy  presence  might  soothe  her,  and  bring  peace  to  her  troubled 
soul.  While  we  mourn  her  as  already  dead,  we  pray  that  her 
closing  hours  may  be  serene.  I  am  persuaded  that  past  events 
have  not  clouded  thy  friendly  spirit,  and  therefore  beseech  thy 
presence  with  us.  The  God  of  Israel  bless  thee !  In  sore 

affliction, 

GAMALIEL." 

The  breast  of  Serenus  was  rent  with  conflicting  emo- 
tions as  he  laid  down  the  letter.  Mingled  with  his  sor- 
row at  the  sad  tidings  about  Amabel,  there  was  even  a 
note  of  gladness.  "  She  loves  me ! "  was  the  thought 
that  echoed  and  re-echoed  through  his  heart.  "If  her 
seen  form  is  to  vanish,  she  is  not  the  visible,  but  the  in- 
visible, and  love  is  eternal.  The  grave  can  rear  no  wall 
nor  make  no  gulf  between  us.  Behold  we  dwell  here  for 
a  season  in  tents,  and  then  quietly  fold  them  and  move 
forward.  Poor  Amabel !  She  loveth  me,  but  hid  her  love 
that  she  might  not  increase  my  burden." 

"  But  the  sad  tidings  of  the  letter  hath  made  me  un- 


1 84  VICTOR  SERENUS 

mindful  of  my  faith !  Why  should  /  consent  to  the  dec- 
laration that  Amabel  must  pass  from  sight?  What  have 
/to  do  with  the  faithlessness  of  the  world?  nay,  even  of 
the  ceremonial  religionist?  What  do  the  physicians, 
who  are  persuaded  that  her  life  must  go  out,  understand 
of  the  vital  powers  of  the  spirit?  Their  nauseous  medi- 
caments touch  but  the  utmost  surface  of  life's  visible  ex- 
pression. They  wot  not  of  its  hidden  springs,  and  how 
to  take  hold  upon  them!  Even  the  eyes  of  Gamaliel, 
master  in  Israel  though  he  be,  are  not  opened  to  the 
Father's  helpfulness!  Did  not  the  prophet  of  Nazareth 
declare,  '  These  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe '  ? 
Behold  neither  the  world  nor  the  church  doth  believe.' 
Have  I  not  witnessed  wonderful  works  among  the  Essenes 
and  Therapeutae  ?  nay,  are  they  not  now  common  in  the 
household  of  the  New  Faith?  Is  not  the  life  of  God  in 
all  things?  and  hath  not  every  one  that  measure  of  it 
which  he  will  open  his  soul  to  receive?  Behold  the 
Father  withholdeth  not,  for  all  things  are  freely  given  to 
his  children.  His  abounding  spirit  of  wholeness  is  wait- 
ing to  fill  every  place  which  is  made  meet!  " 

Such  were  some  of  the  thoughts  that  flashed  through 
the  mind  of  Serenus.  While  at  first  taken  unawares,  and 
cast  down  by  the  tidings  of  Amabel's  condition,  he  soon 
felt  a  mighty  influx  of  faith  and  strength  that  filled  him 
with  spiritual  energy.  Nothing  was  impossible! 

"Can  Amabel  be  inspired  with  such  a  faith?  And 
behold  her  friends  live  not  in  the  spirit,  but  in  doctrines 
and  traditions !  The  eyes  of  them  of  the  outer  kingdom 
are  holden!  Who  can  persuade  them  to  come  to  them- 
selves? " 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE       185 

"O  Amabel!  innocent  but  weak!  untaught,  and  a 
stranger  to  truth !  is  there  time  to  bring  inspiration  into 
thy  life  so  that  thy  belief  of  a  speedy  departure  may  be 
uprooted?  As  thou  thinkest,  so  will  it  come  to  pass." 

Serenus  lost  no  time  in  making  his  way  to  the  palace, 
and  was  softly  ushered  into  Amabel's  presence.  His 
face  betokened  peace,  yea,  even  commanding  power. 
Knew  he  not  that  infinite  forces  were  back  of  him  ?  Yea, 
they  were  familiar,  and  by  orderly  method  he  would 
wield  them! 

Undaunted  by  the  paleness  and  wasted  proportions  of 
the  fair  form,  so  changed  since  he  last  beheld  it,  his  face 
almost  shone  at  the  thought  of  the  privilege  of  spiritual 
ministration.  Shrunken,  weak,  and  motionless,  to  the 
outer  eyes  the  life  of  Amabel,  like  a  fitful  flame,  was 
just  ready  to  expire.  Serenus  seated  himself  near  by. 
Perchance  she  was  dreaming,  for  soon  there  was  a 
movement  of  the  lips. 

"  Serenus !  Serenus !  "  was  uttered  in  a  distinct  whis- 
per, but  she  had  not  yet  opened  her  eyes.  He  heeded 
not  the  sound  of  his  name,  but  sat  with  bowed  head  in 
perfect  silence. 


A  full  half -hour  passed,  during  which  not  a  word  was 
spoken.  The  place  seemed  hallowed  with  an  invisible 
Presence.  The  gloom  fled  away  before  a  brightness 
which  might  almost  be  felt.  The  life  of  Amabel  is  a 
part  of  the  One  Life,  and  knoweth  neither  limitation  nor 
death!  Depart  thou  belief  of  mortality!  Child  of  God! 
thou  art  unseen  spirit!  It  is  thine  to  rule  the  outer  form, 


1 86  VICTOR  SERENUS 

therefore,  assert  thy  right,  and  it  shall  be  subject  to  thy 
behest!  Thou  art  divine  in  thy  being,  and  all  good  is 
thy  free  heritage. 

Silence  still  prevailed. 


At  length  Amabel  opened  her  eyes,  and  beheld  the  face 
of  Serenus. 

"O  Serenus!  art  thou  here?  I  was  dreaming  of  thy 
presence.  I  have  prayed  to  see  thee  once  more  before 
my  departure." 

These  words  were  spoken  in  a  low,  sweet  voice;  the 
first  above  a  whisper  for  three  days.  She  continued, — 

"  My  hours  are  numbered !  I  now  can  tell  thee  of  my 
love.  While  I  had  life  before  me  it  was  expedient  that 
I  should  refrain.  Blessed  be  these  eyes  which  once  more 
behold  thee !  Abiding  peace  be  thine ! " 

Serenus  lightly  took  her  thin  and  almost  transparent 
hand,  and  bending  his  head,  touched  it  softly  to  his  lips. 

"Amabel!  there  is  an  abundance  of  life,  and  to  spare. 
Behold  the  very  breath  of  God  is  within  you!  His 
strength  is  freely  and  lovingly  thine  own." 

"  How  sayest  thou  so,  Serenus?  Behold  it  hath  been 
told  me  that  I  must  die.  The  physicians  have  so  de- 
clared, and  my  parents  mourn  me  as  though  already 
departed.  Thinkest  thou  that  there  is  life  beyond  the 
grave,  and  is  it  that  of  which  thou  speakest?  And  does 
love  continue  there?" 

"  O  Amabel !  there  is  no  grave,  save  for  worn-out  dust. 
Thy  fair  form  is  yet  youthful,  and  thou  mayst  command 
it  as  thou  wilt,  and  enjoy  its  sweet  ministry." 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE   EXPERIENCE       187 

"What  is  that  thou  sayest?  Behold  many  of  fewer 
years  than  mine  are  gathered  unto  their  fathers !  " 

"  Yea,  the  belief  in  the  power  of  the  grave  hath  passed 
upon  the  children  of  men.  But  they  know  not  the  power 
of  God,  and  how  it  is  given  to  his  children  to  wield  it  if 
they  will.  As  we  open  our  souls,  and  confidently  take 
hold  of  the  Present  Help,  strength  is  ours.  Be  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  the  Father,  for  he  is  thy  dwelling- 
place." 

"O  glorious  tidings!  I  feel  thrilled  in  soul  and 
body!" 

"Thou  hast  new  life  already!  Hail  with  joy  the  Uni- 
versal Good,  and  feel  and  affirm  its  presence  now  /" 

A  tiny  flame  had  been  lighted  in  the  darkness  which 
surrounds  the  tomb.  May  it  increase !  As  Serenus  took 
his  leave,  Amabel  showed  unwonted  calmness  and  bright- 
ness. 

The  day  following  witnessed  a  marvellous  gain.  The 
change  was  so  great  as  to  cause  rejoicing  and  wonder  in 
the  palace.  Amabel  had  remained  free  from  unconscious 
intervals,  and  though  yet  weak,  was  calm  and  cheerful. 
Serenus  came,  and  was  warmly  greeted. 

"  O  Serenus !  I  am  filled  with  new  hope  and  joy  that 
I  cannot  understand.  A  voice  within  me  seems  to  speak 
words  of  life  and  strength.  I  have  unwonted  peace,  yea, 
even  joy!  Whence  cometh  it?  " 

"Dear  Amabel  !  the  belief  in  the  power  of  death  hath 
been  vanquished.  Life  is  thine,  and  an  overcoming  faith 
hath  quickened  and  filled  thee." 

"Cometh  it  from  the  God  of  Israel,  Serenus?  Behold, 
I  saw  thee  bowed  in  silence  yesterday,  though  I  heard 


lS8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

no  words.     Didst  thou  call  upon  him,  and  he  send  down 
an  answer?" 

"  Thou  speakest  of  the  God  of  Israel ;  but  behold  God 
is  the  God  of  all  peoples,  and  the  whole  earth.  I  made  no 
request  that  he  should  become  more  willing,  for  nothing 
is  lacking  on  his  part.  But  I  realized  for  thee,  that  he, 
being  perfect  Goodness,  hath  already  answered  every  de- 
sire for  help.  All  change  and  conformity  must  be  within 
ourselves.  They  who  are  unbelieving,  ignorantly  pray 
for  that  which  is  around  them  as  free  as  the  air  of 
heaven.  The  Father's  table  is  loaded  for  his  children, 
while  they  turn  their  backs  upon  it,  and  beseech  him  for 
bread." 

"  But,  O  Serenus !  while  I  feel  new  life,  I  cannot  un- 
derstand how  it  can  come  unless  it  be  sent." 

"God  is  Spirit,  and  his  tabernacle  is  not  far  away, 
but  within  his  children.  He  is  their  Life,  Love,  and 
Strength,  and  is  in  them,  and  they  in  him.  When  thou 
dost  understand  the  laws  of  thy  being,  behold  these 
things  are  multiplied,  and  thy  soul  and  body  have  nour- 
ishment." 

"  What  a  mystery  that  I  had  new  strength  yesterday, 
before  thou  mad'st  known  these  things  to  me!" 

"Behold  the  truth  and  faith  which  inspire  may  be 
received  by  silent  ministry  from  another.  The  Spirit 
speaketh  through  one  to  another  without  words." 

"  I  marvel  at  what  thou  sayest !  " 

"  When  one  feeleth  the  image  of  God  within  him,  its 
still  small  voice  of  love  and  at-one-ment  may  go  out  to 
his  brother,  and  be  heard  by  the  inner  ear,  and  anon  its 
fruits  appear  outwardly  " 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE   EXPERIENCE       189 

"  I  would  know  this  mighty  truth  more  perfectly !  " 

"Thou  hast  always  been  Godlike  in  thine  inner  being, 
but  hast  not  known  thy  true  self.  Thine  eyes  have  been 
turned  toward  outward  things,  while  the  fountain  of  life 
is  within.  All  power  is  given  unto  thee  in  the  measure 
that  thou  dost  claim  and  use  it." 

"  Behold  thou  sayest  that  it  is  not  I,  but  something 
else  that  is  within  ? " 

"Thy  question  indeed  toucheth  a  great  mystery. 
Verily  I  interpret  to  thee,  that  the  inner  voice,  Son  or 
Spirit,  it  is  thy  true  self,  while  it  is  thine  outer  thoughts 
which  seemeth  to  be,  and  claimeth  thee." 

"A  mystery  indeed!  behold,  how  can  I  understand  it?  " 

"As  we  seek  the  truth  and  strive  to  feel  it,  it  unveileth 
itself.  Man  judgeth  by  appearances.  Counting  things 
that  are  seen  as  the  Real,  we  thereby  deceive  ourselves, 
and  our  thoughts  lead  us  astray.  Behold  our  weaknesses 
and  sicknesses  are  the  outworkings  of  our  darkened  and 
troubled  minds.  If  we  dwell  in  the  restless  billows  of 
the  outer  and  deceitful  self,  they  submerge  us.  Right- 
eousness is  right  thinking,  of  which  outward  wholeness, 
as  well  as  good  works,  is  the  natural  harvest." 

Light  shone  in  upon  the  soul  of  Amabel. 

Before  Serenus  departed,  there  was  a  long  interval  of 
silent  communion  with  the  Universal  Spirit.  The  two 
pure  souls  unbarred  the  portals  of  their  higher  natures, 
and  the  divine  sunshine  illumined  every  apartment.  Each 
was  consciously  enfolded  by  the  Presence.  There  was  no 
trance  or  other  unwonted  manifestation,  but  simple  real- 
ization of  what  is.  The  children  of  men  felt  the  loving 
embrace  of  God. 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


Serenus  continued  his  daily  visits. 

A  week  passed,  and  there  was  great  joy  in  the  house- 
hold over  Amabel's  recovery.  Her  strength  rapidly  re- 
turned, and  all  feebleness  disappeared.  Her  cheeks 
regained  their  wonted  freshness;  and  the  outshining  of 
her  soul,  through  the  large,  speaking  eyes,  told  of  inner 
peace  and  exuberant  life.  Her  recovery  astounded  the 
physicians,  and  her  father  was  both  puzzled  and  delighted. 
He  was  persuaded  that  his  own  prayers  to  Jehovah  must 
have  had  efficacy,  but  his  faith  in  the  physicians  as  di- 
vinely appointed  means  was  sorely  shaken.  But  he  was 
wise  enough  to  perceive  that  his  daughter  loved  Serenus, 
and  that  peradventure  his  presence  was  so  pleasing  to 
her  that  it  had  been  helpful,  but  beyond  that  he  saw 
nothing.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  think  other  than 
highly  of  the  character  of  Serenus  ;  but  now,  beholding 
the  devoted  affection  of  Amabel,  he  bewailed  his  heresy 
sorely.  How  could  fie,  the  eminent  Rabban,  with  the 
eyes  of  all  Judea  upon  him,  ever  sanction  his  deposed 
assistant?  and  as  for  making  him  his  son,  his  soul  was 
distressed  at  the  thought.  If  Serenus  was  dear  to  him 
in  person,  his  doctrines  and  associates  were  most  hateful. 
He  groaned  in  spirit,  for  Amabel  was  the  idol  of  his 
heart. 

On  the  tenth  day  after  his  first  visit,  Serenus  found 
Amabel  in  her  favorite  nook  upon  the  roof.  It  was  a 
balmy  afternoon.  The  delicious  atmosphere,  not  too 
warm,  was  barely  stirred  by  a  gentle  breeze,  and  the 
Holy  City  never  was  more  glorious  and  serene.  The 
great  Temple  seemed  almost  transparent  in  its  dazzling 
whiteness,  and  the  clear  air  gave  an  unwonted  nearness 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE       19 1 

to  the  more  distant  mountains.  Amabel  was  the  ideal  of 
health,  and  there  was  an  exquisite  grace  and  purity  in  her 
looks  not  equalled  before  her  illness.  Could  those  rosy 
cheeks  be  the  same  that  were  so  deathly  pale  and  sunken 
a  few  short  days  ago  ?  Verily  a  new  spirit  maketh  all 
things  new!1 

Amabel  had  been  a  willing  learner,  and  her  progress 
was  rapid.  The  inspiration  of  the  higher  life  and  the 
New  Faith  fully  possessed  her.  The  world  was  a  differ- 
ent world.  Hand  in  hand  with  Serenus  she  had  as- 
cended the  Mount -of  Transfiguration  and  gained  a  true 
perspective.  Things  that  before  were  solid  and  real  had 
become  transparent,  so  that  she  could  look  through  them, 
and  behold  the  spiritual  verities  of  which  they  were  the 
cruder  shadows.  Her  experience  was  not  strange  or  ab- 
normal, but  she  felt  the  natural  unfoldment  of  an  addi- 
tional sense.  It  was  orderly  inner  illumination.  God 
in  present  manifestation  was  everywhere,  in  terms  of  love, 
purity,  beauty,  and  goodness.  Former  discordant  thoughts 
had  fled  away,  and  the  development  of  her  own  powers 
amazed  her. 

Up  to  this  time  no  word  since  her  improvement  had 
passed  between  Serenus  and  herself  touching  their  per- 
sonal affection.  But  she  found  all  anxiety,  the  very 
intensity  of  which  had  caused  her  illness,  entirely  gone. 
Thrice  happy  Amabel !  Her  love  had  not  lessened,  but 
it  was  now  refined  and  spiritualized.  She  had  not  be- 

l  It  may  seem  that  healing  as  depicted  in  this  case  was  very  sudden ;  but 
Ihe  recorded  works  of  Peter,  John,  and  many  others,  which  took  place  during 
this  era  of  great  spiritual  uplift  and  exuberant  faith,  should  not  be  over- 
looked. 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


come  peculiar  or  preoccupied,  for  there  was  nothing 
sombre  in  the  New  Faith.  Her  light-hearted  joyousness 
produced  a  bright  ripple  upon  the  whole  surface  of  the 
life  of  the  palace. 

The  afternoon  was  wearing  away,  and  Serenus  must 
soon  take  his  leave.  It  was  all  too  short  for  the  lovers. 

"O  Amabel!  I  rejoice  with  thee  in  thy  freedom  and 
happiness.  Behold  thou  art  like  a  bird  released  from 
a  cage.  All  things  smile  upon  thee,  and  the  very  air 
whispers  its  benediction." 

"  It  is  thou  who  hast  guided  my  feet  in  the  delightful 
path  that  I  knew  not  of!  Oh,  the  joyousness  of  living!  " 

"  I  have  but  showed  thee  the  way  to  find  thyself.  To 
interpret  our  own  divinity  is  to  discover  our  real  birth- 
right." 

"Blessed  be  the  day  which  opened  to  me  the  spirit 
of  the  New  Faith.  Behold  the  religion  of  the  Temple, 
with  its  smoking  sacrifices  and  priestly  ordinances,  now 
seemeth  like  a  hollow  form.  Its  life  is  withered.  I  pray 
thee,  why  were  the  ceremonial  observances  handed  down 
to  us?" 

"In  the  days  of  the  ignorance  and  childhood  of  the 
Chosen  People,  they  could  not  interpret  the  mind  of  Je- 
hovah save  through  signs  and  symbols.  Their  under- 
standing was  not  open  to  the  life  of  the  Spirit,  so  they 
must  needs  receive  it  veiled  and  softened  by  types.  With 
a  childlike  trust  they  could  get  glimpses  of  God  and  his 
teaching  through  the  ordained  forms.  The  full  light  of 
Truth  would  have  blinded  their  eyes,  and  been  counted 
as  foolishness.  But  now,  learning  of  the  head  and  a 
puffed-up  knowledge  hath  hidden  the  simple  faith  of  the 


AMABEL'S  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE       193 

patriarchs  and  prophets,  and  the  symbols  have  become 
all  -in  all,  and  therefore  are  vain  and  empty.  A  proud 
scholastic  philosophy  hath  made  the  hearts  of  the  people 
cold  and  barren." 

"I  live  now  and  henceforth  in  the  New  Faith,"  said 
Amabel  earnestly.  "  Pray,  is  the  Nazarene  of  whom  thou 
hast  spoken  its  founder?  " 

"Nay,  all  truth  is  eternal!  He  was  not  its  founder, 
but  its  expresser  and  embodiment.  Only  as  the  spirit  is 
manifested  through  the  flesh  doth  it  come  to  the  under- 
standing of  those  whose  concern  is  only  with  things  that 
are  seen.  The  Son,  or  likeness  of  God,  dwelleth  in  all 
men,  but  he  is  almost  unknown  and  unmanifest.  Jesus, 
knowing  his  internal  oneness  with  the  Father,  embodied 
the  Christ-mind  or  life  in  its  fulness,  and  performed  the 
outward  works  after  its  kind.  But,  O  Amabel !  hast  thou 
well  considered  that  thou  dost  separate  thyself  from  the 
faith  of  thy  father  and  all  thy  house? " 

"Yea,  I  am  fully  persuaded  concerning  the  same.  I 
will  sacrifice  all  things  that  may  hinder  my  devotion  to 
the  New  Faith,  and  my  efforts  for  its  spread.  I  will  be 
a  witness  for  its  truth,  and  will  show  forth  its  power." 

Serenus  drew  nearer,  and  taking  her  hand  in  his,  gave 
a  gentle  glance  into  the  fair  face  at  his  side. 

"  O  Amabel !  Behold  the  wall  which  separated  us  hath 
crumbled.  We  knew  not  how  it  were  possible,  but  it  hath 
come  to  pass.  Once  more  I  tell  thee  that  thou  art  dearer 
to  me  than  my  life.  Dost  thy  heart  respond?  and  wilt 
thou  be  mine  ? " 

"  O  Serenus !  I  am  persuaded  of  thy  pure  love,  and  am 
thine  own.  Life  with  thee  will  be  an  abounding  spring 


194  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  gladness.  I  will  share  thy  lot,  even  though  persecu- 
tion surround  me.  Behold  my  spirit  knoweth  no  more 
a  shadow." 

"The  ever-abiding  Father's  love  encloseth  and  sancti- 
fieth  the  human  affection  of  our  hearts.  Amabel !  I  will 
be  faithful  to  thee  even  unto  death  !  " 

"  And  I  to  thee  !  In  the  love  of  God  and  thy  love  I 
forsake  all  else ! " 

Two  hearts,  when  truly  one,  no  power  can  sever ! 
Pure  souls  in  deep  affection  dwell  forever: 
The  flame  of  love,  e'en  evermore  will  brighten, 
And  every  sacrificial  burden  lighten  I 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON  WALLS  195 


CHAPTER  XIX 

SURROUNDED   BY   PRISON   WALLS 

"  Truth  crushed  to  earth  shall  rise  again,  — 

The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers ; 

But  Error,  wounded,  writhes  with  pain, 

And  dies  among  his  worshippers." 

ON  the  second  evening  after  the  stoning  of  Stephanos, 
the  members  of  the  Inner  Circle  of  the  Urim  gathered  in 
their  room  near  the  inn  of  the  Sheepmarket.  As  they 
passed  one  by  one  through  the  long  passage  into  the 
anteroom,  and  thence,  as  approved  by  the  doorkeeper, 
through  the  narrow  portal  into  their  secret  rendezvous, 
an  unwonted  interest  was  manifest  in  every  face  and 
feature.  It  was  known  that  Saulus  had  been  in  consul- 
tation with  Annas,  the  high  priest,  and  Caiaphas,  John, 
and  Alexander,  his  kindred,  and  that  plans  for  stirring 
events  had  been  made,  the  particulars  of  which  were  to 
be  made  known  to  them.  The  venerable  Rabbi  Abdiel 
was  present,  as  the  special  and  honored  guest  of  Saulus. 
It  was  an  unwonted  occasion  when  any  from  without  were 
admitted  to  a  gathering  of  the  Inner  Circle ;  but  the  de- 
sire of  Saulus  was  sufficient,  and  besides,  the  Rabbi  was 
already  known  to  many,  not  only  as  faithful,  but  as  in- 
tensely zealous  for  their  contention. 

When  all  were  gathered,   and  the  preliminary  ritual 


196  VICTOR  SERENUS 

had  been  performed,  two  members  escorted  Saulus  to  the 
seat  of  the  grand  Dictator,  and  the  Rabbi,  as  his  guest  of 
honor,  was  seated  upon  his  right.  At  a  given  signal  all 
arose,  and  with  their  peculiar  mystic  symbolism  took 
anew  the  oath  of  secrecy,  in  which  the  Rabbi  joined. 
All  then  were  seated,  and  Saulus  arose  to  give  his 
report. 

"  Comrades  of  the  Inner  Circle  !  Warders  of  the  mys- 
teries of  Israel !  Chosen  of  the  Chosen  People  !  A  ser- 
pent hath  crawled  into  our  midst,  and  made  his  nest  in 
the  Holy  City.  We  are  to  crush  his  head.  Behold  this 
day  I  have  counselled  with  the  chief  priests  and  elders, 
and  have  received  authority  to  bind  all  blasphemers,  put 
them  in  prison,  and  scourge  or  stone  them,  as  seemeth 
expedient  unto  me.  The  Roman  Procurator  hath  given 
the  Sanhedrin  full  power  to  deal  with  all  matters  per- 
taining to  our  religion,  and  will  in  no  wise  hinder  the 
punishment  that  may  be  meted  out  to  the  followers  of 
the  Nazarene.  We  therefore  bind  ourselves  to  make 
havoc  of  all  who  are  of  the  Way,  and  to  uproot  this 
vile  heresy,  and  the  blasphemy  of  the  Temple  and  the 
Circumcision.  Rise,  comrades  !  defenders  of  our  holy 
ordinances  !  and  swear  by  the  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of 
Gideon  that  we  will  scatter  our  enemies  and  destroy 
them." 

All  arose,  and  forming  in  line,  marched  slowly  around 
the  large  circle,  each  carrying  a  flagon  containing  a  rem- 
nant of  wine,  the  larger  part  having  before  been  drank  at 
a  given  signal.  Holding  it  aloft  with  the  right  hand, 
and  moving  with  a  slow  rhythm,  they  all  joined  in  a, 
weird  chant. 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON   WALLS  197 

"  The  Urim  will  conquer ! 
With  valor  well  known, 
The  apostate  will  punish 
With  scourge,  and  by  stone. 

Saulus  our  captain 
Shall  lead  in  the  fray, 
We'll  follow  his  standard 
By  night  and  by  day ! 

Ho  1   comrades,  we  swear 
To  crush  every  foe, 
Not  one  will  we  spare, 
To  Gehenna  they'll  go!" 

Finally  coming  to  a  halt,  and  swinging  their  arms 
above  their  heads,  they  repeated  their  oath  with  a  shout, 
and  again  took  their  seats. 

Saulus  arose  to  speak  further;  but  as  he  was  about  to 
open  his  lips,  he  stared  into  vacancy  above  and  before 
him,  and  was  speechless.  His  gaze  was  transfixed,  his 
jaws  parted,  his  cheeks  blanched,  and  he  forgot  his  sur- 
roundings. 

"  Away !     There  —  it  —  is  —  again !  "  .  .  . 

Gasping  for  breath,  he  sank  into  his  seat,  overcome  by 
a  spasm  of  fear.  A  cold  perspiration  covered  him,  and 
he  trembled  in  every  limb. 

"Our  leader  has  fainted." 

There  was  a  hurrying  to  relieve  him,  and  to  apply  re- 
storatives. But  soon  he  recovered,  and  again  stood  up. 

"It  was  nothing,  comrades!  Of  late  I  have  had  dis- 
quieting visions.  Some  haunting  demon  would  drive  me 
from  my  chosen  duty;  but  I  hurl  defiance  at  him,  and  at 
all  the  demons  and  powers  of  darkness!  Behold  they 


198  VICTOR  SERENUS 

but  drive  me  to  more  jealous  and  powerful  action.  I 
glory  in  persecution ;  for  slaughter  of  the  enemies  of  the 
God  of  Israel  is  service  to  the  Chosen  People." 

As  he  continued,  his  face  grew  dark,  his  jaws  and  fists 
were  clinched,  and  his  gestures  violent.  He  seemed  to 
be  fighting  some  unseen  enemy  which  was  present  and 
before  him. 

"Long  live  our  worthy  Dictator!  " 

"  Woe  to  the  enemies  of  the  Temple !  " 

"  The  fate  of  Stephanos  awaiteth  them !  " 

"We  will  follow  Saulus  to  the  death!  " 

Such  were  some  of  the  shouts  that  rent  the  air. 

At  length  comparative  quiet  was  restored,  and  plans 
were  formed  for  an  attack  upon  the  disciples  of  the  New 
Faith  on  the  morrow.  It  was  known  that  they  assembled 
in  the  Upper  Chamber  every  morning  at  the  third  hour. 
It  would  be  easy  to  gather  a  rabble  to  do  their  bidding 
if  they  needed  aid.  They  were  just  about  to  separate, 
when  a  sudden  tremor  passed  over  the  frame  of  Rabbi 
Abdiel.  His  features  grew  rigid,  his  muscles  tense,  and 
he  began  muttering  incoherent  words. 

"He  hath  a  trance,  as  he  is  sometimes  wont,"  ex- 
claimed Saulus.  "  Peradventure  a  lying  spirit  possess- 
eth  his  lips,  for  his  prophecy  is  always  evil  concerning 
us." 

All  had  gathered  about  the  Rabbi,  who  now  began  to 
speak  more  clearly,  and  in  a  loud  voice. 

"  Members  of  the  Urim !  Deceivers  and  deceived ! 
Hypocrites  and  vipers !  Ye  are  fighting  against  the  God 
of  all  the  earth  and  his  devoted  servants!  The  cup  of 
your  iniquity  is  overflowing!  Your  elders  and  co-work- 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON  WALLS  199 

ers  have  slain  the  Chosen  One,  —  the  most  righteous  of 
all  the  sons  of  men!  His  kingdom  will  increase  forever, 
while  yours  will  soon  be  shattered!  Your  Dictator  will 
be  his  chief  apostle,  and  ye  will  persecute  him  from  city 
to  city !  " 

The  tumult  became  so  great  that  nothing  more  could 
be  heard.  Some  were  almost  ready  to  smite  him,  but  it 
was  plainly  evident  that  he  knew  not  what  he  had  been 
saying.  Another  tremor;  then  his  frame  relaxed.  He 
was  again  himself,  and  astonished  to  see  that  all  were 
gathered  about  him. 

"  Down  with  our  enemies  of  the  New  Faith ! "  he  cried, 
showing  that  when  himself  he  was  in  earnest  accord  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Inner  Circle. 

The  Rabban  Gamaliel  was  astounded  at  the  action  of 
the  Sanhedrin  in  the  case  of  Stephanos.  As  the  head 
of  the  most  noted  training  school  in  Jerusalem,  where 
Hebrew  youth  were  transformed  into  teachers  and  Rab- 
bis, his  influence  with  the  chief  priests  and  elders  was 
ordinarily  undoubted.  But  against  the  wave  of  fanati- 
cism and  persecution  which  was  now  surging  through  the 
Holy  City,  he  felt  himself  utterly  powerless.  While 
thoroughly  loyal  to  the  Chosen  People,  he,  with  a  few 
of  the  more  liberal  Pharisees,  had  faithfully  striven  to 
stem  the  tide,  calm  the  fierce  and  turbulent  spirit,  and 
prevent  any  physical  violence  toward  the  members  of  the 
New  Faith.  While  he  detested  their  doctrines,  believed 
them  to  be  the  victims  of  delusion,  and  ridiculed  the 
claims  of  the  Nazarene  as  put  forth  by  his  disciples,  he 
also  counselled  forbearance,  and  believed  that  such  su- 


20O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

perstition  would  soon  wear  itself  out,  and  come  to  naught 
if  let  alone.  His  advice  was  entirely  unheeded.  The 
worst  passions  of  the  Sanhedrin,  their  followers,  and  the 
rabble  were  aflame,  and  logic  and  lore  availed  nothing. 
The  stoning  of  Stephanos  had  been  like  the  scent  of 
fresh  blood  to  a  wolf. 

The  study  of  great  psychological  waves  which  some- 
times roll  over  a  community,  and  even  a  nation,  is  most 
interesting  and  instructive.  A  vast  pent-up  mass  of  hu- 
man passion,  perhaps  long  in  accumulating,  like  the 
lava  of  a  volcano,  will  occasionally  find  some  outlet, 
and  all  pour  out  in  that  particular  direction.  It  is  thus 
that  riots,  mobs,  revolutions,  and  wars  originate.  Like 
some  strange  epidemic  they  steal  in,  and  gather  mo- 
mentum until  they  sweep  everything  before  them.  War 
between  nations,  which  often  comes  from  religious  preju- 
dice, is  simply  brute  force  and  animal  ferocity  exercised 
on  a  colossal  scale.  There  is  no  tiger  more  cruel  than 
intolerant  fanaticism,  and  the  murder  of  Stephanos  was 
like  the  unchaining  of  such  a  beast.  It  was  the  starting- 
point  of  a  contagion  of  insanity,  and  Saulus  was  the  fit- 
test leader  in  which  it  found  embodiment.  Under  the 
general  support  and  sanction  of  the  Sanhedrin,  he  be- 
came for  the  time  commander,  and  directed  its  forces. 

Early  on  the  second  morning  after  the  notable  tragedy, 
the  Rabban  Gamaliel  sat  in  his  private  library  in  a  med- 
itative mood.  The  piles  of  inscribed  parchments,  and 
numerous  shelves  loaded  with  rolls  of  manuscripts  rich 
with  Hebrew  lore,  were  undisturbed.  The  law,  psalms, 
and  prophets,  the  Mishna,  Gemra,  Hagada,  and  Halacha, 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON   WALLS  2OI 

which  contained  the  treasures  of  Jewish  scholasticism, 
and  the  archives  of  ancient  polity  and  literature,  had  no 
attraction.  It  was  the  problems  of  the  present  which 
were  pressing  upon  the  Rabban.  Never  had  he  felt  so 
powerless  and  so  unreconciled  to  events.  Not  only  the 
Holy  City,  but  his  own  household,  seemed  rent  in  twain. 
His  former  impetuous  young  student  and  disciple  had 
suddenly  blossomed  into  the  Hebrew  leader  of  affairs  in 
Jerusalem,  while  his  own  influence  had  gone  into  a  total 
eclipse.  His  beautiful  and  idolized  daughter  had  be- 
stowed the  wealth  of  her  warm  youthful  affection  upon 
an  avowed  apostate.  Even  the  thought  subtly  intruded 
itself,  that  it  would  have  been  more  tolerable  if  her  re- 
cent illness  had  been  unto  death;  and  he  pictured  to 
himself  the  possible  resignation  which  would  now  pos- 
sess him  if  her  fair  form  were  already  sleeping  in  the 
quiet  sepulchre.  He  bowed  his  head  in  agony  as  a  chaos 
of  conflicting  emotions  agitated  his  soul,  and  groaned 
aloud,  and  wept  as  a  child  might  weep.  All  the  fame, 
success,  and  usefulness  of  his  past  life  was  a  hollow 
dream.  His  vaunted  wisdom  in  the  eyes  of  the  Holy 
City  had  turned  to  ashes.  Worse  than  all,  it  even  had 
become  foolishness  to  his  own  flesh  and  blood. 

At  length  he  aroused  himself  as  if  he  had  arrived  at 
some  important  and  final  decision.  Honor,  reputation, 
position,  and  religion  must  be  maintained,  even  at  the 
expense  of  family  ties  and  affection.  Shall  not  a  man 
rule  his  own  house?  Putting  his  emotion  under  foot, 
and  stifling  the  softened  feeling  which  had  possessed 
him,  his  features  became  hard  and  unyielding,  and  his 
lips  tightly  closed.  He  signalled  a  waiting-maid. 


2O2  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Find  Amabel,  and  say  that  I -would  see  her." 

The  young  woman  entered  with  a  light  though  digni- 
fied step,  and  seated  herself  by  her  father's  side.  She  at 
once  divined  something  unusual  in  his  manner,  and  in- 
stinctively felt  that  an  ordeal  was  impending. 

"Dear  father,  thou  didst  send  for  me.  How  can  I 
serve  thee  ? " 

"  Amabel !  always  hast  thou  been  a  dutiful  and  loving 
child,  and  it  now  lies  in  thy  power  to  relieve  me  of  a 
load  which  is  too  heavy  to  be  borne.  When  I  bring  the 
whole  matter  before  thee,  I  am  persuaded  that  thou  wilt 
have  respect  unto  my  wishes." 

"Thou  knowest  well,  O  my  father  !  that  mine  affection 
for  thee  is  great,  and  if  thy  request  be  not  against  my 
duty  and  freedom,  I  will  gladly  render  obedience." 

Just  for  a  moment  the  Rabban  wavered  in  the  resolu- 
tion which  he  had  declared  should  be  inflexible;  for  he 
had  a  distinct  foreboding  of  a  great  trial,  and  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  sacrifice  that  he  was  about  to  ask  of 
his  well-beloved  daughter.  Be  still,  heart!  The  issue 
must  be  met! 

"O  my  daughter!  I  beseech  thee  to  be  soberly  mind- 
ful of  the  thing  whereof  I  shall  speak  unto  thee.  I  pray 
that  thou  wilt  make  a  sacrifice  for  the  sake  of  thy  father. 
My  honor,  reputation,  office,  and  religion  are  in  the  bal- 
ance. Amabel !  I  ask  thee  to  renounce  all  thought  of  a 
future  alliance  with  Victor  Serenus,  and  that  thou  prom- 
ise to  see  him  no  more." 

The  cheeks  of  Amabel  visibly  faded  and  her  heart-beat 
quickened,  but  she  maintained  a  good  degree  of  calm- 
ness and  self-command.  She  looked  inquiringly  into  her 


SURROUNDED   BY  PRISON   WALLS  203 

father's  face,  and  read  the  stern  purpose  of  an  inflexible 
will.  She  instinctively  felt  that  the  crisis  of  her  life  had 
come.  There  passed  a  few  moments  of  silence,  though 
they  were  not  required  for  her  to  make  her  decision. 

"O  my  father!  I  love  thee,  and  it  is  like  plucking  out 
the  right  eye  to  say  thee  nay ;  but  nevertheless,  I  cannot 
comply  with  thy  request." 

"Amabel!  mark  well  the  issue!  The  Holy  City  is 
aroused.  My  plea  for  the  toleration  of  the  new  heresy 
hath  already  cost  me  my  honor  and  reputation.  My  wis- 
dom is  scoffed  at;  and  the  leader  of  the  time  is  no  other 
than  my  former  young  disciple,  Saulus  of  Tarsus.  A 
wild  and  cruel  spirit  hath  possessed  the  people,  and  the 
Sanhedrin  is  in  full  agreement.  While  I  bewail  the  zeal 
of  our  people,  which  is  not  according  to  knowledge,  and 
believe  that  its  madness  will  soon  pass  by,  I  must  bow 
before  a  storm  which  I  cannot  withstand.  Even  before 
this  commotion  an  alliance  of  the  family  of  the  Rabban 
Gamaliel  with  the  deluded  Serenus  would  have  been  in- 
tolerable, now  it  would  be  fatal !  " 

'O  my  father!  I  am  mindful  of  all  thou  sayest;  but  I 
have  promised  to  be  the  wife  of  Serenus,  and  nothing 
but  death  can  separate  us.  His  religion  is  my  religion, 
and  his  God  my  God.  There  is  no  other  young  man 
among  the  Chosen  People  that  is  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  him  in  honor  and  virtue." 

"  Even  though  he  hath  a  goodly  spirit  in  himself,  he 
hath  cast  in  his  lot  among  the  despised  and  deluded 
followers  of  the  false  prophet,  and  will  peradventure 
share  their  fate.  Persecution,  scourging,  imprisonment, 
and  perhaps  stoning,  await  this  fanatical  sect;  and  this 


204  VICTOR  SERENUS. 

I  cannot  prevent  if  I  would.  Now,  hearken !  Wilt  thou 
foolishly  hold  on  to  this  base  alliance  with  an  outlaw 
and  heretic,  disgraced,  and  peradventure  to  be  put  to 
death,  or  remain  in  thy  father's  house,  with  esteem  and 
affection,  and  the  respect  of  all  the  most  honorable  and 
learned  people  of  the  Holy  City?  " 

"  Nay,  I  will  suffer  dishonor,  persecution,  and  even 
death  if  need  be,  for  truth,  righteousness,  and  Victor 
Serenus.  Worldly  honor  doth  not  tempt  me.  The 
prophet  of  Nazareth,  whom  our  people  cruelly  slew,  was 
filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  true  God.  His  followers 
have  the  same  mind,  as  manifested  by  their  works ;  and 
nothing  can  quench  their  spiritual  fervor,  their  kindly 
ministrations,  and  their  abounding  love  toward  all,  even 
their  enemies." 

"  Daughter  of  Gamaliel !  thou  art  altogether  mad ! 
Choose  thou  this  day,  yea,  this  hour,  between  thy  father's 
house,  with  thy  high  station  and  all  that  therewith  be- 
longeth,  and  the  reproach  of  being  an  outcast,  and  shar- 
ing the  ignominious  lot  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarene.  The 
honor  of  Gamaliel  shall  not  be  entirely  lost,  and  his  word 
is  law!  I  have  finished!" 

There  was  no  alternative. 

Amabel  arose  from  her  seat,  threw  her  arms  around 
her  father's  neck,  and  kissed  him  warmly  upon  the  fore- 
head, and  then  quietly  turned  and  left  him.  Hastily 
putting  on  a  light  outside  garment  and  hat,  she  left  the 
palace,  passed  down  the  hill  of  Zion,  and  made  her  way 
to  the  Upper  Chamber.  It  was  a  little  after  the  third 
hour,  and  the  disciples  had  just  gathered. 

There  was  a  goodly  company  of  men  and  women,  as 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON  WALLS  20$ 

was  wont,  and  words  of  gladness  and  praise  abounded. 
Even  the  fate  of  Stephanos,  and  the  prospect  of  a  general 
persecution,  did  not  seem  to  disquiet  them.  But  they 
were  unaware  of  the  intensity  of  the  storm  that  was  just 
ready  to  burst,  and  that  they  were  like  sheep  in  the  midst 
of  wolves.  The  spirit  of  love  shone  through  their  faces, 
and  many  in  the  Holy  City  had  been  blessed  by  their 
ministry  and  service,  healed  of  divers  diseases,  and  re- 
leased from  bonds  which  had  vexed  them  for  years. 
Serenus  was  there,  and  had  just  arisen  to  address  them. 
Barnabas  and  Peter  and  John  were  also  among  them. 
Barnabas  had  been  drawn  to  the  New  Faith  through  the 
preaching  of  Peter,  and  was  already  one  of  the  most 
devoted  among  the  disciples.  He  had  ended  his  so- 
journ at  the  Sheepmarket,  and  now  made  his  abode  with 
Serenus. 

Amabel  quietly  entered.  No  one  present  knew  her  ex- 
cept Serenus,  who  marvelled  at  her  sudden  appearance. 
While  aware  that  the  new  light  had  been  kindled  within 
her,  and  that  she  greatly  rejoiced,  he  had  entertained  no 
expectation  that  she  would  openly  identify  herself  with 
the  despised  people.  Her  exquisite  grace  and  beauty, 
with  the  fact  that  she  was  an  unwonted  visitor,  turned 
the  attention  of  many  towards  her;  but  after  a  quick, 
tender  glance  at  Serenus,  she  cast  her  large  lustrous  eyes 
downward,  and  closed  them  with  a  calm  devotion,  as  she 
sank  into  her  seat  among  the  women  of  the  assembly. 
The  soul  of  Serenus  was  stirred  within  him  as  he  began 
speaking  to  the  little  flock. 

"Brethren  and  sisters  of  the  New  Faith!  It  doth  ap- 
pear unto  all  of  you  that  troublous  times  are  at  hand, 


2O6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  that  we  are  encompassed  by  those  who  falsely  think 
that  we  are  their  enemies.  Even  the  power  of  God  which 
hath  been  bestowed  upon  us,  and  the  wonderful  works 
and  ministry  which  have  been  made  manifest  through  us, 
are  turned  against  our  people  and  made  an  offence.  The 
Sadducean  enmity  of  the  Sanhedrin  is  bitter  toward  us; 
and  the  voice  of  Saulus,  the  leader  of  the  persecution,  is 
hot  for  our  destruction.  Behold  ye  have  become  a  '  rock 
of  stumbling '  unto  both  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 
But  I  say  unto  you,  be  ye  not  dismayed,  even  though  all 
things  seem  against  you.  The  Man  of  Gallilee  hath 
said,  — 

"  '  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  reproach  you  and  per- 
secute you,  and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely 
for  my  sake;'  and  again,  'Blessed  are  they  that  have 
been  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. '  Again  he  declared,  '  Behold  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  within  you. '  It  is  here.  If  perse- 
cution rage  without,  and  ye  have  harmony,  peace,  and 
love  within,  behold  it  abideth  in  you.  As  the  spirit  of 
Christ  was  manifested  through  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  so  may 
it  fill  us  to  overflowing.  The  things  which  he  did  ye  may 
do  also.  We  have  the  Truth,  and  the  Truth  maketh  free ; 
yea,  though  prison-walls  surround  us,  and  revilings,  and 
even  scourgings,  be  visited  upon  us,  freedom  abideth. 
Behold  liberty  is  of  the  soul,  and  pertaineth  not  to  the 
body.  We  are  not  in  bondage  to  the  flesh,  for  it  profiteth 
not.  Not  that  we  have  aught  against  it  in  itself,  for  in 
subjection  it  may  render  honorable  service.  We  love  all 
men,  and  resist  not  evil.  The  triumph  of  violence  is  but 
for  a  moment,  while  truth  and  righteousness  are  as  eter- 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON  WALLS  2O/ 

nal  as  the  reign  of  God.  The  world  knoweth  not  the 
mystery  of  evil,  nor  how  resistance  maketh  it  to  increase. 
Love  is  finally  victorious,  because  it  thinketh  no  evil. 
God  worketh  not  with  observation,  but  in  you,  to  will 
and  to  do.  Thence  cometh  the  victory !  A  man's  real 
foes  must  be  they  of  his  own  household,  for  nothing 
can  truly  harm  him  but  his  own  base  and  mistaken 
thoughts." 

The  address  of  Serenus  was  followed  by  spontaneous 
testimonies,  prophecies,  and  spiritual  affirmations,  as  each 
was  inspired  to  give  utterance,  and  all  opened  their  souls 
to  the  Spirit  of  Truth.  Then  followed  a  period  of  still- 
ness, during  which  each  one  lifted  his  mind  to  Christly 
ideals,  and  sent  out  loving  and  healing  thoughts  to  all, 
not  forgetting  even  those  who  were  plotting  against  them. 
The  silence  continued  until  spiritual  ecstasy  prevailed, 
and  aspiration  and  soul-communion  lifted  them  to  a  state 
of  consciousness  where  things  of  the  seen  and  outward 
life  seemed  distant,  and  rested  but  lightly  upon  them. 
The  calumnies  and  revilings  concerning  them  which  rilled 
the  Holy  City  were  as  nothing;  for  they  were  now  in 
a  heavenly  frame  made  up  of  love,  good-will,  spiritual 
vigor,  and  harmony. 

At  length  the  profound  stillness  was  broken  by  a  dis- 
cordant hum  in  the  distance.  The  cruel  persecutors 
were  upon  their  track. 

The  noise  gradually  came  nearer,  and  soon  resolved 
itself  into  chaotic  vibrations  of  yells,  commands,  shrieks, 
and  imprecations.  Then  a  single  stone  was  followed  by 
a  volley,  which  crashed  upon  the  roof,  sides,  and  windows 
of  the  Upper  Chamber. 


208  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Fear  not  the  wrath  of  man !  "  said  Serenus. 
Then  the  little  band  chanted  selections  from  the  Psalms 
of  David :  — 

"  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  mountains : 
From  whence  shall  my  help  come? 
The  Lord  is  thy  keeper  : 
The  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy  right  hand. 
The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day, 
Nor  the  moon  by  night. 
The  Lord  shall  keep  thee  from  all  evil; 
He  shall  keep  thy  soul. 

The  Lord  shall  keep  thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in, 
From  this  time  forth  and  for  evermore. 
O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord ;  for  he  is  good : 
For  his  mercy  endureth  forever." 

The  mob  rapidly  approached.  A  small  man  with  a 
strong  rod  in  his  hand  was  slightly  in  advance,  making 
violent  gestures,  and  giving  loud  commands.  It  was 
Saulus.  Clustered  about  him  were  about  two  score  of 
the  members  of  the  Inner  Circle,  and  these  were  followed 
by  a  great  rabble  from  the  worst  streets  and  lanes  of 
the  city. 

The  moments  dragged  slowly  to  the  little  band,  for 
they  instinctively  took  in  the  whole  situation.  After 
finishing  the  chants,  the  assembly  was  dismissed.  No 
one  tried  to  escape.  Even  if  attempted  it  would  have 
been  impossible,  for  the  house  was  entirely  surrounded. 
They  gathered  in  little  groups,  and  friend  encouraged 
friend. 

Serenus  was  already  by  Amabel's  side. 

"  Beloved !  How  earnest  thou  here  in  such  a  time  as 
this?" 


SURROUNDED  BY  PRISON   WALLS  209 

"O  Serenus!  my  father  hath  commanded  me  to  re- 
nounce thee  and  the  New  Faith,  or  leave  his  house. 
Behold  my  choice !  " 

"Amabel!  thou  hast  given  up  all  for  me!" 

"Nay!  say  rather  for  my  soul's  freedom!" 

"Daughter  of  Gamaliel,  and  Light  of  my  soul!  I  am 
powerless  to  protect  thee  from  the  persecutors  that  are  at 
the  door.  But  have  faith  in  God!  All  things  will  work 
together  for  good.  Doubt  not !  " 

"  I  have  no  fear !  Peace,  love,  and  courage  possess  my 
soul." 

The  tramp  of  the  fierce  host  as  it  burst  up  the  stair- 
ways was  like  the  noise  of  thunder. 

With  glaring  eyes  and  panting  breath  Saulus  bounded 
into  the  room,  closely  followed  by  his  comrades,  with  the 
mob  at  their  heels.  Not  one  of  the  assembly  raised  a 
hand  in  defence. 

The  utter  peacefulness  and  non-resistance  of  the  little 
band  was  so  strange  that  for  a  moment  Saulus  was  as- 
tounded. He  had  expected  a  strong  fight,  or  at  least 
a  desperate  attempt  to  escape,  but  found  neither.  But 
in  a  moment  he  regained  command  of  himself,  and  there 
was  no  wavering  in  his  purpose. 

"  Heretics  and  blasphemers ! "  he  cried.  "  We  have 
caught  you  in  the  very  exercise  of  your  seditious  and 
profane  worship,  and  ye  yourselves  are  witnesses  to  your 
own  criminality.  I  have  full  authority,  as  a  loyal  He- 
brew, to  mete  out  punishment  to  every  one  of  you,  men 
and  women,  and  to  crush  this  mockery  of  our  holy 
religion.  Ha!  a  little  trial  by  scourging,  and  some  ac- 
quaintance with  stocks  and  prisons,  will  restore  your 


210  VICTOR  SERENUS 

minds.  And  if  these  fail,  I  wot  that  the  treatment  ap- 
ministered  to  Stephanos  will  be  found  effectual." 

Up  to  this  time  he  had  not  noticed  that  Serenus  was 
among  them,  but  as  he  beheld  his  old  opponent  he  had 
special  delight. 

"Ha!  Serenus!  thou  hast  found  thy  true  belonging. 
I  have  thee  in  my  power,  and  thy  traitorous  apostasy 
shall  reap  its  full  reward." 

Then,  turning  to  his  prisoners  in  general,  he  con- 
tinued, — 

"If  any  of  you  will  blaspheme  Jesus,  and  abjure  and 
curse  the  New  Faith,  peradventure  we  may  release  such 
with  the  warning  of  a  few  stripes." 

No  one  responded. 

"  Forward,  comrades,  and  escort  them  to  prison !  " 

Before  the  sixth  hour  of  the  day,  every  one,  including 
Serenus  and  Amabel,  were  surrounded  by  prison  walls. 


SOWING  AND   REAPING  211 


CHAPTER   XX 

SOWING   AND   REAPING 
"  Blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  Church." 

THE  persecution  of  the  disciples  of  the  New  Faith 
formed  a  notable  epoch  in  the  history  both  of  Judaism 
and  Christianity.  It  was  the  first  stage  of  an  agitation, 
which,  though  subsequently  losing  some  of  its  local  in- 
tensity, widened  and  deepened  until  it  changed  the  reli- 
gious complexion  of  nations  and  the  world.  It  marked 
the  decadence  of  the  existing  ceremonial  system,  and  at 
the  same  time  dispersed  widely  the  seeds  of  a  vital  faith 
which  no  opposition  has  since  been  able  to  stamp  out. 

History  confirms  the  apparent  paradox,  that  living 
truth  has  thriven  through  repression;  and  even  persecu- 
tion. Stagnation  and  formalism  have  been  its  greater 
hindrances.  It  has  such  an  inherent  vitality  that  agi- 
tation and  antagonism  may  justly  be  regarded  as  impor- 
tant factors  in  the  evolutionary  process  which  brings  it 
into  manifestation.  It  develops  true  vigor  through  the 
exercise  of  overcoming.  Sometimes  the  Spirit  seems  to 
slumber  beneath  the  crust  of  stagnation,  until  active 
hostility  quickens  its  dormant  energy  and  enables  it  to 
break  forth.  Good,  therefore,  is  often  nourished  from 
seeming  evil. 


212  VICTOR  SERENUS 

The  intent  of  the  chief  priests  and  elders  was  to  "  slay 
the  young  child;"  but  instead  they  multiplied  him.  The 
New  Faith  was  like  a  fire,  and  the  desperate  effort  to 
beat  it  out  only  scattered  its  brands  among  the  endless 
combustible  material  of  human  hearts.  Even  at  this 
early  period  in  Jerusalem,  the  little  flock  that  was  ap- 
prehended and  imprisoned  formed  but  a  small  fraction 
of  the  three  thousand  souls  which  already  had  been  pos- 
sessed by  the  Spirit  of  Truth. 

Before  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day  upon  which  the  as- 
sembly were  thrown  into  prison,  Gamaliel  was  informed 
of  the  wholesale  arrest  and  persecution.  Believing  that 
the  flight  of  Amabel  would  naturally  be  to  the  Upper 
Chamber,  it  occurred  to  him  that  peradventure  she 
might  be  among  the  women  who  had  been  put  in  ward. 
The  situation  was  intolerable.  The  thought  that  his 
own  beautiful  child,  well  beloved  and  delicately  reared, 
was  probably  imprisoned  with  the  offscouring  of  the  Holy 
City,  almost  drove  him  beside  himself.  As  he  looked  in 
upon  the  recesses  of  his  own  soul,  there  was  a  violent 
tempest,  in  which  pride,  disgrace,  love,  and  anger  were 
each  striving  for  mastery,  and  boiling  in  wild  confusion. 

The  self-poised,  reputable,  and  wise  Educator  of  Jeru- 
salem could  hardly  persuade  himself  of  his  own  identity. 
How  the  events  of  a  few  hours  had  changed  the  whole 
world !  He,  to  whom  thousands  had  come  from  far  and 
near  to  learn  wisdom,  not  able  to  rule  his  own  house  and 
teach  his  own  offspring  !  Oh,  how  much  better  if  Ama- 
bel had  quietly  passed  into  the  Beyond,  as  the  physicians 
had  predicted  during  her  late  illness  !  Then  the  better 
self  made  itself  heard,  — 


SOWING  AND  REAPING  213 

"  Oh,  how  I  love  her  !     I  cannot  give  up  my  child  !  " 

Bringing  his  thoughts  to  immediate  events,  the  ques- 
tion again  thrust  itself  upon  him,  Is  she  in  prison?  He 
was  minded  to  seek  an  audience  with  Caiaphas,  and  lay 
the  whole  matter  before  him  privately,  but  upon  further 
thought,  his  pride  and  dignity  revolted. 

At  length,  realizing  the  strange  fact  that  Saulus  had 
suddenly  mounted  to  the  virtual  leadership  and  control 
of  the  persecution,  the  Rabban  resolved  to  send  for  him. 
He  felt  that,  notwithstanding  his  fiery  spirit,  the  influ- 
ence of  their  former  relation  would  make  such  a  confer- 
ence more  tolerable  than  any  communication  with  the 
chief  priests.  It  was  humiliating,  but  what  better  could 
be  done?  He  therefore  despatched  a  faithful  messenger 
to  the  inn  of  the  Sheepmarket,  begging  Saulus  to  come 
to  the  palace,  upon  a  pressing  matter,  without  delay. 
The  intervening  moments  seemed  all  too  long;  but  at 
length  the  former  disciple,  whose  will  had  now  become 
so  imperious  in  the  Holy  City,  was  ushered  into  his 
presence.  After  the  usual  greetings,  Gamaliel  introduced 
the  subject  which  lay  so  heavy  upon  his  heart. 

"O  my  young  friend  and  former  disciple!  I  am  in 
sore  distress,  and  have  sought  audience  with  thee  to  ask 
thy  favor  in  a  matter  of  deep  concern  to  myself  and  my 
office." 

"  I  have  much  respect  unto  thy  wishes,  O  worthy  Rab- 
ban!  and  will  listen  to  thy  request." 

"  I  am  minded  of  the  great  influence  which  hath  come 
to  thee,  O  son  of  Benoni !  both  with  the  chief  priests  and 
all  the  people,  by  reason  of  thy  zeal  for  the  established 
ordinances.  Before  making  known  unto  thee  my  special 


214  VICTOR  SERENUS 

desire,  I  would  inquire  regarding  thy  purposes,  and  those 
of  the  Sanhedrin,  concerning  the  members  of  the  new 
sect  which  hath  appeared  in  our  midst?" 

"We  purpose  to  uproot  and  bring  to  naught  the  heresy 
as  quickly  as  possible,  for  the  good  of  our  religion  and 
nation.  If  peradventure  there  should  be  delay,  and  it 
become  scattered  abroad,  behold  great  harm  will  come  to 
our  people  and  their  traditions.  Surely,  as  a  teacher  in 
Israel,  thou  must  be  mindful  of  this  peril." 

"  I  have  always  felt  persuaded,  O  Saulus,  that  every 
false  philosophy  would  soon  come  to  an  end.  I  am 
mindful  of  the  foolishness  of  the  doctrines  of  the  new 
sect  as  thou  art,  and  agree  that  they  are  harmful;  but 
I  am  persuaded  that,  having  no  root,  they  will  soon 
wither  away.  Dost  thou  not  feel  that  persecution  is  un- 
duly bitter,  and  that  many  who  have  been  deluded  will 
soon  come  back  to  the  religion  of  their  fathers  if  left 
alone  for  a  little  time?" 

"Nay,  worthy  Rabban,  thine  age  and  much  learning 
hath  holden  thine  eyes  to  the  urgency  of  the  peril  which 
hangeth  over  our  people.  There  can  be  no  better  service 
to  God  and  Israel  than  to  kill  this  seditious  conspiracy. 
If  our  righteous  persecution  be  sharp  and  quick,  behold 
it  will  save  much  trouble.  It  will  prevent  the  spread  of 
the  blasphemy,  and  confine  the  severity  to  a  small  num- 
ber. It  were  therefore  merciful  to  persecute  even  to  the 
death  the  betrayers  of  the  Circumcision,  before  they  mul- 
tiply their  proselytes.  Of  this  the  Sanhedrin  is  fully 
persuaded,  and  hath  given  me  full  authority  to  make  an 
end  of  the  matter." 

Gamaliel  recognized  the  hopelessness  of  further  argu- 


SOWING   AND   REAPING  21$ 

merit,  and  keenly  felt  how  powerless  he  was  to  bring 
about  any  moderation  of  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  the 
persecution.  His  opinion  of  the  quality  of  the  New 
Faith  differed  little  from  that  of  Saulus;  but  they  were 
utterly  unlike  in  their  philosophy  of  its  cure,  and  in  their 
views  of  toleration. 

One  who  persecutes  or  murders  for  "God's  sake,"  or 
for  the  interest  of  some  religion,  as  universal  history 
demonstrates,  is  of  all  cruel  men  the  most  cruel.  In- 
quisitors have  thought  that  they  had  a  heavy  duty  laid 
upon  them  of  "saving  souls." 

"It  is  unseemly  to  continue  the  argument,"  said  Ga- 
maliel; "and  now  I  will  make  known  unto  thee  the 
special  favor  which  I  crave  at  thy  hands.  I  beseech  thee, 
for  my  sake,  as  thy  former  teacher  and  friend,  that  thou 
make  no  mention  of  what  I  am  about  to  ask,  lest  it  bring 
dishonor  upon  me." 

"I  freely  grant  thy  request,"  replied  Saulus. 

The  young  zealot  was  greatly  surprised  at  the  unwonted 
earnestness  of  the  Rabban,  and  wondered  what  his  peti- 
tion might  be. 

Brushing  away  a  few  tears  that  he  vainly  tried  to  sup- 
press, the  distressed  father  took  Saulus  by  the  hand,  and 
looked  urgently  into  his  face  as  if  to  make  a  plea. 

"O  my  young  friend!  behold  my  loved  and  dutiful 
daughter  hath  been  beguiled  of  the  heresy.  To-day,  be- 
fore the  third  hour,  she  left  me  that  she  might  join  these 
deluded  people,  thus  giving  up  my  favor,  affection,  home, 
and  honor.  Peradventure  she  went  directly  tc  the  Upper 
Chamber,  and  hath  gone  to  prison  with  the  other  women. 
Behold  my  sorrow !  " 


2l6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  She  hath  chosen  her  own  portion !  "  said  Saulus  un- 
concernedly. 

"  O  Saulus !  "  said  the  Rabban  pleadingly.  "  She  is 
young,  and  knoweth  little  of  the  heresy,  being  deceived." 

"  I  will  visit  the  prison,  and  find  if  she  be  among  the 
women.  What  is  her  name  ?  " 

"  Amabel." 

"  If  she  be  with  them,  I  will  command  her  release,  and 
direct  that  she  return  to  her  father's  house." 

"I  thank  thee  for  thy  great  favor!  After  being  cast 
into  prison,  I  am  persuaded  that  when  released  she  will 
show  her  former  wisdom  in  this  matter." 

Gamaliel  brightened  at  the  renewal  of  his  own  hope, 
and  added,  — 

"  Peradventure  it  is  well !  I  perceive  that  nothing  less 
than  some  such  experience  would  have  turned  her.  Now 
I  soon  shall  see  my  daughter!  " 

Saulus  took  his  leave,  and  proceeded  directly  to  the 
prison. 

"  Hast  thou  among  the  heretics  a  young  woman  called 
Amabel  ?  "  asked  Saulus  of  the  keeper. 

Looking  over  the  roll,  he  replied  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Release  her,  and  command  her  to  go  to  her  father's 
house ! " 

Saulus  disdained  to  make  any  explanation,  and  left  at 
once,  without  waiting  to  see  her.  Gamaliel  had  requested 
that  his  name  be  not  mentioned,  and  it  was  therefore 
impossible  that  she  should  be  conducted  to  the  palace. 
It  would  lead  to  recognition. 

The  jailer  went  to  the  cell  where  Amabel  was  incar- 
cerated, and  unbarring  the  heavy  door,  proclaimed,  — 


SOWING  AND  REAPING  21 7 

"  By  order  of  Saulus,  deputy  of  the  Sanhedrin,  behold 
thou  art  released,  and  commanded  to  go  to  thy  father's 
house!" 

She  passed  out  of  the  dark  damp  interior  into  the  sun- 
shine, and  disappeared  in  the  crowded  street 

Whither  would  she  go?  Her  father's  house  had  been 
closed  against  her.  Hesitating  but  a  moment,  she  turned 
her  back  toward  Mount  Zion,  and  passing  northward, 
continued  along  the  narrow  street  that  led  beyond  Heze- 
kiah's  Pool,  at  length  coming  to  the  home  of  Serenus. 
She  knocked  at  the  humble  door,  and  was  warmly  re- 
ceived and  ministered  unto  by  his  mother,  who  welcomed 
her  as  her  own  daughter. 

Saulus  returned  to  the  Sheepmarket  near  the  close  of 
the  eventful  day,  feeling  that  his  work  was  well  begun. 

The  more  prominent  leaders  in  the  sedition  had  been 
gathered  in,  and  were  to  await  his  persuasive  tactics  to 
force  their  sworn  renunciation  of  the  New  Faith,  and 
blasphemy  of  its  prophet.  Failing  in  this,  adequate  pun- 
ishment would  be  meted  out  under  his  direction,  and  at 
his  convenience.  He  felt  a  peculiar  pride  that  he  had 
the  honor  of  being  the  chief  instrument  in  the  hands  of 
the  God  of  Israel  to  correct,  not  only  religious,  but  polit- 
ical transgression.  Among  the  circle  at  the  inn,  he  was 
received  as  a  hero  and  public  benefactor.  Cassia  be- 
stowed her  congratulation,  and  was  delighted  with  his 
campaign  of  persecution. 

"O  my  devoted  Saulus!  thou  art  a  brave  leader, 
chosen  of  the  Lord  to  defend  our  people  and  punish 
their  enemies." 


21 8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Thy  words  are  sweet  unto  me,"  replied  Saulus,  as 
they  seated  themselves  in  a  secluded  recess  of  the  court, 
while  the  twilight  fell  upon  them.  He  put  his  arm 
around  her  light  form,  and  drew  her  close  by  his  side. 
She  was  very  happy.  During  a  few  moments  of  silence, 
her  heart  was  so  full  of  golden  dreams  of  the  future,  that 
she  wished  she  might  look  in  and  behold  it,  as  in  a 
mirror.  The  music  of  fancy,  unheard  without,  filled  her 
soul  with  melody;  and  amid  stirring  scenes,  her  lover 
was  before  her  day  and  night.  The  embrace  of  his  arm 
tightened,  and  she  nestled  her  head  upon  his  shoulder. 
Saulus  was  transported  to  a  new  world  as  he  felt  her 
silken  locks  and  warm  breath  upon  his  cheek,  and  for  a 
little  time  he  forgot  persecutions  and  prisons.  Follow- 
ing the  swift  flight  of  his  imagination,  he  saw  before 
him,  not  only  his  complete  triumph  in  the  contest  he  was 
waging,  but  a  heaven  upon  earth,  soon  to  begin,  with  the 
full  fruition  of  his  love,  and  the  possession  of  the  idol 
which  for  years  had  ruled  his  heart. 

That  wonderful  intensity  of  nature  which  made  Saulus 
a  fiery  persecutor  rendered  him  a  most  ardent  lover. 
There  was  nothing  commonplace  or  mediocre  within  him. 
The  whole  fabric  of  his  character  was  woven  of  extremes, 
all  of  which  were  in  unceasing  vibration. 

Would  the  love  of  Saulus,  now  so  exclusively  centred 
upon  one  personality  with  the  intensity  of  a  white  heat, 
ever  become  broadened,  purified,  disciplined,  and  dif- 
fused? Could  this  stream  of  soul-force,  now  so  narrow 
and  vehement,  ever  spread  out,  and  in  gentle  volume 
nourish  barren  brown  fields,  clothe  them  with  living 
green,  and  make  them  bud  and  blossom  ?  No !  says  the 


SOWING  AND  REAPING  219 

world.  Impossible!  replies  sensuous  logic  and  intellec- 
tual acumen.  "Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or 
the  leopard  his  spots?" 

The  persecution,  now  so  thoroughly  inaugurated,  raged 
with  unabated  ferocity.  Dark  and  cruel  weeks  dragged 
their  weary  course  into  months,  and  the  cry  of  martyrs 
was  unceasing.  But  the  heroism  of  the  disciples  of  the 
New  Faith  was  a  marvel.  Under  the  inquisition  of  Sau- 
lus,  men  and  women  were  scourged,  buffeted,  put  in  con- 
finement, and  stoned ;  and  though  a  few  recanted,  nearly 
all  were  faithful.  The  courage  and  spiritual  inspiration 
which  had  possessed  Stephanos  continued,  and  in  many 
cases  even  stoning  to  death  produced  only  painless  tran- 
sition. The  prisoners  healed  each  other's  distresses, 
and  often  the  persecutors  themselves  received  from  their 
victims  some  of  the  outward  fruits  of  the  power  of  the 
New  Faith.  But  the  bigoted  inquisitors  seemed  pos- 
sessed of  a  collective  insanity  or  demoniacal  obsession, 
outbreaking  waves  of  which  abound  in  history. 

It  would  be  discordant  to  the  purpose  and  philosophy 
which  these  pages  aim  to  express  through  depicted 
events  to  enlarge  upon  this  period.  A  tragic  story  of 
terrible  things  that  abounded  during  this  spell  of  un- 
loosed animal  passion  might  be  dramatized,  which  would 
be  well  within  the  limits  of  the  admitted  facts  of  his- 
tory.1 The  theory  that  a  realism  which  plunges  into  the 


1  Canon  Farrar,  in  his  "  Life  and  Work  of  St.  Paul,"  says,  "  The  part 
which  he  [Saul]  played  at  this  time  in  the  horrid  work  of  persecution  has, 
I  fear,  been  always  underrated.  ...  So  thorough  was  his  search,  and  so 
deadly  were  its  effects,  that,  in  referring  to  it,  the  Christians  of  Damascus 
can  only  speak  of  Saul  as  '  he  that  devastated  in  Jerusalem  them  that  call 


22O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

depths  of  harrowing  circumstance  is  either  wholesome  or 
artistic  will  not  here  be  followed.  It  is  true  that  every 
tale  built  upon  the  principles  of  idealism,  and  the  por- 
trayal of  idealistic  character,  cannot  do  without  a  setting 
and  background  of  contrasts  which  will  bring  truth  into 
high  relief,  but  the  dark  shades  should  be  kept  in  subor- 
dination. 

At  length  the  time  came  when  the  New  Faith,  like  a 
smothered  and  beaten  conflagration,  appeared  to  be  thor- 

on  this  name,'  using  the  strong  word  which  is  strictly  applicable  to  an  in- 
vading army  which  scathes  a  conquered  country  with  fire  and  sword." 

Conybeare  and  Howson,  in  their  "  Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,"  say, 
"  That  temporary  protection  which  had  been  extended  to  the  rising  sect  by 
such  men  as  Gamaliel  was  now  at  an  end.  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  priests 
and  people,  alike  indulged  the  most  violent  and  ungovernable  fury.  .  .  . 
The  eminent  and  active  agent  in  this  persecution  was  Saul.  .  .  .  His  fame 
as  an  inquisitor  was  notorious  far  and  wide." 

A  few  passages  from  the  New  Testament  (Revised  Edition)  are  noted:  — 

Acts  viii.  3.  But  Saul  laid  waste  the  church,  entering  into  every  house, 
and  haling  men  and  women  committed  them  to  prison. 

Acts  ix.  i,  2.  But  Saul,  yet  breathing  threatening  and  slaughter  against 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  went  unto  the  high  priest,  and  asked  of  him  let- 
ters to  Damascus  unto  the  synagogues,  that  if  he  found  any  that  were  of  the 
Way,  whether  men  or  women,  he  might  bring  them  bound  to  Jerusalem. 

Acts  xxii.  4.  And  I  persecuted  this  Way  unto  the  death,  binding  and 
delivering  into  prisons  both  men  and  women. 

Acts  xxvi.  10,  n.  And  this  I  also  did  in  Jerusalem :  and  I  both  shut  up 
many  of  the  saints  in  prisons,  having  received  authority  from  the  chief  priests ; 
and  when  they  were  put  to  death,  I  gave  my  vote  against  them.  And  pun- 
ishing them  oftentimes  in  all  the  synagogues,  I  strove  to  make  them  blas- 
pheme ;  and  being  exceedingly  mad  against  them,  I  persecuted  them  even 
unto  foreign  cities. 

Galatians  i.  13.  For  ye  have  heard  of  my  manner  of  life  in  time  past  in 
the  Jews'  religion,  how  that  beyond  measure  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God, 
and  made  havock  of  it. 

i.  Timothy  i.  13.  Though  I  was  before  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor, 
and  injurious  :  howbeit  I  obtained  mercy,  because  I  did  it  ignorantly  in 
unbelief. 


SOWING  AND  REAPING  221 

oughly  stamped  out  in  Jerusalem.  Every  suspected 
house  had  been  visited,  and  every  implicated  man  or 
woman  tortured  or  imprisoned,  except  such  as  had  fled 
to  remote  provinces,  which  were  not  a  few.  But  Saulus 
was  not  content  with  the  complete  conquest  of  the  Jewish 
capital.  Finding  that  some  had  slipped  from  his  grasp, 
he  began,  like  Alexander,  to  look  about  for  other  worlds 
to  conquer.  Being  informed  that  a  few  had  fled  to  Da- 
mascus, and  were  there  promulgating  the  heresy,  he 
made  ready  for  an  expedition  to  that  city,  and  received 
from  the  Sanhedrin  the  necessary  authority  and  equip- 
ment. 

The  terrible  strain  of  conflicting  emotion  and  surging 
passion  which  had  rent  the  soul  of  Saulus,  fearfully  told 
upon  him.  His  haggard  face,  nervous  unrest,  sleepless 
nights,  and  hellish  visions,  produced  an  epileptic  condi- 
tion which  appeared  in  the  form  of  occasional  paroxysms, 
and  its  scars  were  never  afterwards  fully  removed.  They 
were  ever  a  "stake  in  the  flesh." 

At  times,  during  these  feverish  months  of  delirium, 
the  scourgings  of  conscience  were  terrible.  But  the  more 
desperate  his  torment,  the  more  he  hardened  himself. 
Nightly  visions  of  strange  horror  disquieted  him.  Often 
during  the  darkness,  the  sighs  and  groans  of  his  victims 
echoed  and  re-echoed  in  his  ears.  He  refused  to  be 
alone  at  night,  and  under  plea  of  illness  arranged  for  one 
of  his  comrades  of  the  Inner  Circle  to  share  his  apart- 
ment. His  brief  periods  of  strange  relenting  were  not 
mentioned  to  his  friends,  and  on  no  account  would  he 
have  had  Cassia  suspect  them.  Each  short  interval  of 
moral  upheaval  was  followed  by  a  mere  desperate  deter- 


222  VICTOR  SERENUS 

mination  to  push  the  persecution.  To  have  every  nerve 
tense  with  a  hot  pursuit  for  his  prey  had  peculiar  charm, 
and  yielded  a  thrill  of  delight  to  that  part  of  his  nature 
which  he  thought  to  be  himself. 

Toward  the  last  of  the  persecution,  the  flashes  of  good- 
ness and  moral  sanity  increased  in  frequency.  Seeming 
to  come  up  from  within,  they  staggered  his  understand- 
ing. He  reproached  himself  for  such  occasional  weak- 
nesses. Each  time  as  they  passed  off  he  braced  himself 
anew,  and  hastened  to  his  appointed  work. 

The  last  evening  of  the  sojourn  of  Saulus  in  the  Holy 
City  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  his  preparations  for  an 
early  departure  the  next  morning  were  complete.  The 
day  had  been  sultry,  and  the  family  group  at  the  inn  were 
upon  the  house-top.  The  full  moon,  which  silvered  the 
broad  expanse  of  towers  and  battlements,  seemed  to  wear 
a  sinister  and  ghastly  aspect;  and  there  was  a  redness  in 
its  sheen  which  gave  Saulus  a  slight  inward  shudder. 
The  shadows  cast  by  surrounding  objects  were  unwont- 
edly  sharp  and  black,  and  he  felt  preternaturally  sensi- 
tive and  expectant.  The  stirring  events  of  his  life  in 
the  Judean  capital  surged  in  a  quick  torrent  through  his 
mind,  as  if  painted  upon  a  swiftly  revolving  canvas. 
Love,  hate,  joy,  despair,  and  ambition,  sprinkled  with 
the  ashes  of  an  inner  and  strange  remorse,  danced  in 
chaotic  confusion  before  him.  Unwelcome  and  forbid- 
ding enemies  seemed  to  be  prodding  him  from  within. 
Had  he  not  done  his  duty  well? 

Cassia  interrupted  his  revery,  and  together  they  sought 
a  retired  corner  as  they  were  wont.  A  long  converse  fol- 
lowed. Mutual  vows  were  exchanged  and  renewed,  and 


SOWING   AND   REAPING  22$ 

plans  made  for  the  consummation  of  their  union  upon 
the  return  of  Saulus  from  his  campaign  in  Damascus. 
After  a  long-continued  rehearsal  of  mutual  visions  of 
present  and  future  bliss,  the  moment  for  parting  was 
at  hand.  Saulus  was  about  to  arise  from  his  seat;  but 
with  eyes  suddenly  fixed  upon  vacancy,  he  gave  a  quick 
gasp  and  sank  back. 

"What  is  it,  Saulus?  thou  tremblest  and  art  pale! 
Art  thou  ill?  O  Saulus/" 

Cassia  threw  her  fair  white  arms  around  his  neck  to 
reassure  him.  After  a  brief  conflict  with  the  unknown, 
but  with  no  effort  to  disengage  himself  from  her  soft 
embrace,  he  replied,  — 

"Nay,  little  one!  I  am  well!  'Twas  but  a  passing 
shudder!  Some  disquieting  fancies  seize  me  at  un- 
wonted and  inconvenient  seasons." 

"O  Saulus!  thou  art  so  brave  and  good!  But  thou 
hast  not  seemed  well  of  late !  O  my  hero !  What  can 
it  be?" 

"I  wot  not.  I  am  persuaded  that  I  perform  every 
duty  to  which  I  am  called  in  no  uncertain  manner.  But 
at  times,  peradventure  I  am  under  a  spell.  My  heart 
stands  still,  and  my  limbs  shiver.  I  see  something  near 
at  hand  which  is  not  of  earth,  and  the  darkness  seems 
full  of  terrible  shapes.  But  I  spurn  and  defy  them !  It 
is  but  a  passing  weakness,  and  soon  will  fade  out.  Be- 
tween my  little  one  and  the  punishment  of  heretics  my 
mind  will  be  so  full  that  no  more  idle  fancies  can  steal 
in.  See !  I  am  well  now !  I  am  strong !  Peace  be  with 
thee !  'Twill  be  but  for  a  short  season,  little  one,  when 
behold,  thou  art  mine,  and  I  am  thine  forever !  " 


224  VICTOR  SERENUS 

A  final  embrace,  and  a  whispering  of  eternal  love,  and 
they  parted. 

Saulus  reached  his  chamber  in  a  very  uncertain  mood. 
Despite  the  brave  words  just  uttered,  and  with  his  com- 
rade soundly  sleeping  near  by,  the  very  silence  seemed 
oppressive  and  retributive.  The  atmosphere  was  charged 
with  malignity,  and  every  breath  feverish  and  bitter.  He 
tried  desperately  to  fasten  his  thoughts  upon  Cassia, 
so  as  to  shut  out  dire  fancies.  Thus  for  a  few  mo- 
ments he  would  perch  upon  empyrean  heights,  only  to 
be  quickly  cast  down  into  horrible  chasms. 

"  A  mind  not  to  be  chang'd  by  place  or  time. 
The  mind  is  its  own  place,  and  in  itself 
Can  make  a  heaven  of  hell,  a  hell  of  heaven." 


A  thick  mist  of  delirium  seemed  to  gather  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  nameless  Horrors  danced  around  and  leered  at 
him. 

"  Oh,  for  sleep !  Come,  oh,  come,  oblivion,  and  blot 
me  out !  Why  was  I  ever  born  ?  Have  I  a  demon  within 
me?  Am  I  myself  or  It?  No!  Away!  I  dare  and  defy 
thee !  O  God  of  Israel !  I  serve  thee,  and  nothing  shall 
shake  me ! " 

Finally,  from  sheer  exhaustion,  and  in  a  cold  sweat, 
he  fell  into  a  troubled  sleep.  But  phantoms  in  kaleido- 
scopic array  peopled  his  dreams.  At  length  three  loud 
raps  at  the  door  aroused  him,  and  froze  the  blood  in  his 
veins.  There  It  stood  ! 

"  O    heaven  !    mercy  !     There  !    there  !     It   points   its 


SOWING   AND  REAPING  22$ 

bony  finger  at  me  1  Guilty  ?  No  !  no  !  I  am  righteous  — 
righteous  /  " 

He  leaped  from  his  couch,  and  ran  to  his  comrade  and 
shook  him. 

"  Look  !  look  !  dost  thou  not  see  It? " 

"  I  see  nothing !  Saulus,  quiet  thyself !  behold  all  is 
well ! " 

Saulus  crept  back  to  his  couch,  more  uncertain  who 
and  what  he  was  than  ever. 

A  hellish  torment  was  within  and  without! 


As  the  first  faint  flush  of  dawn  entered  through  the 
casement  of  his  chamber,  turning  the  blackness  into 
gray,  Saulus  awoke  from  a  half-conscious  despair,  and, 
wonder  of  wonders,  a  feeling  of  heavenly  harmony  pos- 
sessed his  soul!  Peace,  like  a  broad,  glassy  river,  was 
borne  in  upon  him. 

"Am  I  Saulus?" 

"  Calm  on  the  listening  ear  of  night 
Come  Heaven's  melodious  strains." 

Iridescent  tints  of  beauty  filled  the  room.  His  soul 
floated  through,  and  was  bathed  in  a  symphony  of  har- 
monious sound-waves,  sweeter  than  a  thousand  harps  of 
^Eolia.  The  atmosphere  seemed  charged  with  an  imper- 
sonal and  universal  love,  and  its  message  was  written  in 
letters  of  light  upon  the  walls  of  his  chamber.  The  fra- 
grance of  roses  was  wafted  in  upon  his  bewildered  senses. 
A  heavenly  chorus  of  benedictions,  distant,  but  en- 
chanting in  quality,  reached  him,  as  though  echoed  and 


226  VICTOR  SERENUS 

re-echoed  through  long  corridors.  He  felt  his  soul  ex- 
panding and  responding,  as  he  seemed  to  inhale  a  spirit 
of  inspiration.  An  angelic  visitor  in  white  robes  stood 
before  him,  and  whispered,  "I  am  Prophecy,"  and  with 
a  winning  smile  pointed  upward.  What  a  vision !  What 
brightness !  What  beauty ! 

"Have  I  died,  and  is  this  paradise?  But  see!  It  be- 
gins to  fade  !  Stay,  Oh,  stay  !  Leave  me  not !  No  !  no  1 
no!" 

It  had  gone,  but  the  room  was  still  —  so  still!  The 
silence  might  almost  be  felt.  What  a  strange  calmness ! 
The  soul  of  Saulus  was  as  placid  as  the  mirror-like 
surface  of  a  pool  untouched  by  a  zephyr.  He  heard  a 
voice,  distinct,  but  so  low  and  sweet  that  he  could  not 
tell  whether  it  were  audible  or  in  his  soul. 

"  Saulus !  I  am  the  divine  image  within  thee,  —  thy 
real  self !  I  am  spirit,  and  possess  the  deeps  of  thy  Be- 
ing. I  am  the  quickened  but  unman ifest  Saulus.  In  thy 
consciousness  thou  dost  mistake  a  false  and  perverted 
self  for  me.  I  am  yet  entombed  !  Bid  me  come  forth  ! " 


The  morning  dawned  brightly,  and  found  Saulus  as  he 
was  wont.  Oh,  how  vivid  the  visions!  It  seemed  as  if 
he  had  wandered  for  a  whole  night  in  the  infernal  regions, 
and  anon  been  transported  for  a  brief  morning  hour  to 
heaven.  How  utterly  indescribable! 

"What  meaneth  this?  Oh,  that  I  might  grasp  that 
heavenly  condition !  But  it  is  gone,  utterly  gone  !  " 

Time  lingers  not,  and  the  appointed  hour  for  depar- 
ture was  close  at  hand.  He  hastily  arose,  and  made  his 


SOWING  AND  REAPING  22/ 

final  preparations  for  the  long  journey.  His  comrades, 
who  were  to  accompany  him,  were  already  waiting,  and 
impatient  for  the  start.  Waving  Cassia  a  final  adieu,  as 
she  looked  down  from  her  casement,  Saulus  and  his  reti- 
nue wound  rapidly  northward  through  the  narrow  streets, 
and  passed  out  through  the  Damascus  Gate.  Before  the 
sun  had  climbed  far  above  the  horizon  they  had  left  the 
Holy  City  well  behind. 


228  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   GREAT    HARVEST 

"The  word  unto  the  prophet  spoken 
Was  writ  on  tables  yet  unbroken ; 
The  word  by  seers  or  sibyls  told, 
In  groves  of  oak,  or  fanes  of  gold, 
Still  floats  upon  the  morning  wind, 
Still  whispers  to  the  willing  mind. 
One  accent  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
The  heedless  world  hath  never  lost." 

IT  is  expedient  that  we  return,  and  gather  up  a  few 
threads  that  were  dropped  at  the  close  of  the  chapter 
preceding  the  last.  On  the  eventful  morning  when  the 
comrades  gathered  at  the  Sheepmarket,  and  departed  for 
the  Upper  Chamber  to  apprehend  the  assembly,  there 
was  a  small  party  left  behind  which  demands  further 
notice.  A  controversy  took  place,  and  the  little  circle 
was  rent  by  the  decided  and  outspoken  condemnation  of 
Rebecca  of  the  proposed  movement. 

"Saulus  seems  beside  himself  in  this  mad  persecu- 
tion!" she  exclaimed  with  a  deep  flush.  "I  think  the 
new  sect  has  a  right  to  live  peaceably,  and  be  free  from 
molestation.  God  speed  their  escape!  " 

"Daughter!  thou  speakest  wildly!"  said  Benoni  re- 
provingly. "  I  bid  thee  hold  thy  peace  !  It  would  have 
been  well  for  us  had  we  left  thee  in  Tarsus." 


THE   GREAT  HARVEST 


Rebecca  said  no  more,  but  held  her  own  thoughts 
firmly.  Since  the  stampede  from  the  Temple,  when  her 
life  was  saved  by  the  young  stranger,  she  had  made  many 
apologies  for,  if  not  an  actual  defence  of,  the  disciples  of 
the  New  Faith.  Her  unknown  rescuer  had  not  told  her 
that  he  was  one  of  them,  but  she  had  an  indefinable  feel- 
ing that  he  might  be  of  their  number.  His  words  and 
spirit  were  unlike  those  of  any  one  she  knew  who  was 
subject  to  the  ceremonial  system.  How  opposite  in  tem- 
per from  her  own  brother,  whom  she  began  to  fear  was 
possessed  by  an  evil  spirit!  It  was  not  so  much  what 
Serenus  had  said,  when  he  conveyed  her  to  her  home  in 
her  faint  and  exhausted  condition,  for  their  conversation 
had  been  brief  and  general  ;  but  his  dignified  mien,  lofty 
spirit,  and  utter  unselfishness  greatly  impressed  her.  His 
very  presence  had  seemed  an  inspiration.  How  strange, 
that  in  answer  to  her  question  he  should  have  announced 
himself  merely  as  the  "  friend  of  Saulus  "  !  Knowing 
nothing  of  his  name  or  dwelling-place,  she  often  won- 
dered whether  she  might  ever  see  him  again.  While 
naturally  retiring,  and  rarely  looking  into  the  faces  of 
strangers,  it  must  be  confessed  that,  as  opportunity  of- 
fered, she  had  some  dim  expectation  that  she  would 
again  behold  the  face  of  her  kind  benefactor. 

Who  is  able  to  unravel  the  mysteries  of  a  maiden's 
heart?  Who  can  untwist  the  delicate  strands  which, 
when  combined,  are  able  to  guide  and  draw  a  gentle 
soul,  and  give  it  the  force  and  direction  of  a  new 
orbit  ? 

In  the  case  of  Rebecca,  the  vital  service  rendered 
would,  of  itself,  make  gratitude  strong  and  lasting.  The 


230  VICTOR  SERENUS 

lofty  principles  expressed,  though  in  a  brief  and  un- 
studied way,  would  also  strike  a  unison  in  such  a  pure 
and  intuitional  nature  as  that  of  Rebecca.  For  a  long 
time  she  had  been  quietly  growing  away  from  the  heart- 
less formalism  of  her  people.  She  was  ready  for  some- 
thing better.  Without  knowing  anything  of  the  letter  of 
the  New  Faith,  peradventure  its  invisible  vibrations 
were  beating  gently  upon  the  strings  of  her  higher  nature, 
even  though  unrecognized. 

Was  there  a  mingled  element  of  unconscious  love  sub- 
tly growing  out  of  so  brief  an  episode?  What  more  nat- 
ural? and  yet  what  prophet  can  say  either  yea  or  nay? 

As  Saulus  and  his  concourse  moved  away  toward  the 
Upper  Chamber,  an  intense  interest  and  curiosity  pos- 
sessed those  who  were  left  behind  as  to  the  outcome  of 
the  day's  proceedings.  All  felt  that  an  important  crisis 
had  arrived.  Cassia  was  exultant,  while  Rebecca  was 
cast  down.  But  despite  their  unlikeness,  they  preserved 
friendly  relations  for  the  sake  of  Saulus.  Prospective 
sisterhood  rendered  each  forbearing.  Rebecca  was  sorely 
tried,  but  must  needs  not  rebel  against  her  surround- 
ings. 

Almon,  the  keeper  of  the  hostelry,  who  had  followed 
the  concourse  in  the  distance,  soon  returned,  and  an- 
nounced to  the  family  that  the  blasphemers  were  securely 
under  arrest. 

"I  bear  you  good  tidings/3  said  he,  as  with  manifest 
glee  he  entered  the  court  of  the  inn.  "  Saulus  and  his 
friends  have  the  whole  band  under  arrest,  and  they  are 
soon  to  be  taken  in  a  procession  to  prison." 

Cassia  clapped  her   little  white  hands  with   delight. 


THE    GREAT  HARVEST  231 

Rabbi  Abdiel  and  Benoni  were  exultant  in  their  ap- 
proval, while  Rebecca  was  silent. 

"Behold,"  continued  Almon,  "the  direct  way  from  the 
Upper  Chamber  to  the  prison  leads  by  the  inn,  so  that 
captors  and  captives  will  soon  move  past  our  very  doors." 

"  To  the  house-top ! "  exclaimed  Cassia  excitedly.  "  Let 
us  all  go  up  and  see  the  procession  when  it  passes." 

She  bounded  up  two  stairways  in  hot  haste,  and  the 
others  soon  followed.  Rebecca  would  fain  have  been 
spared  the  sight,  but  something  seemed  to  draw  her. 

There  is  frequently  an  indescribable  fascination  in 
beholding  just  that  which  one  does  not  wish  to  behold. 

"  It  is  a  proud  day  for  thy  son,  O  Benoni ! "  quoth  the 
Rabbi. 

"Yea,  my  brother;  Saulus  directs  all  this  matter  as 
seemeth  him  good." 

They  had  not  long  to  wait. 

From  the  distance,  fierce  cries,  cheers,  and  curses 
echoed  above  the  general  hum  of  voices;  and  soon  a 
black  mass  of  moving  figures  surged  slowly  along  one 
of  the  narrow  streets  that  led  into  the  square.  Near  the 
front  was  the  untiring  figure  of  Saulus,  directing  the 
movement  of  the  throng.  His  eyes  flashed,  his  step  was 
firm,  and  his  air  that  of  a  military  conqueror  returning 
from  a  victorious  campaign. 

When  the  motley  crowd  came  near,  the  little  group 
ranged  themselves  along  the  parapet  that  they  might 
observe  every  feature  of  the  procession.  From  their  van- 
tage-ground, it  was  easy  to  study  every  face,  as  it  passed 
directly  in  front. 

The  venerable  Abdiel  waved  his  hands  with  satisfac- 


232  VICTOR  SEREMUS 

tion,  and  blessed  the  God  of  Israel ;  and  Saulus,  looking 
up,  proudly  returned  the  salutation. 

Near  the  head  of  the  line  of  prisoners  was  a  tall,  dig- 
nified young  man  of  noble  presence  and  calm  features, 
whose  bearing  and  costume  marked  him  as  one  of  the 
most  notable  among  them.  Rebecca  saw  him,  and  in- 
stinctively exclaimed,  — 

"It  is  he!" 

At  the  same  moment,  the  young  man  turned  his  eyes 
upward,  and  their  glances  met.  A  slight  nod  of  recog- 
nition passed  between  them,  which  was  noticed  by  the 
others,  so  that  Rebecca  was  forced  to  explain. 

"Behold  it  is  he  who  saved  me  on  the  day  of  the 
great  stampede  at  the  Temple  !  I  know  not  his  name, 
but  he  called  himself  'the friend  of  Saulus."1 

Almon  also  gave  an  exclamation  of  great  surprise. 

"As  I  live,  that  is  the  man  !  " 

"Who  is  this  man,  O  Almon?  "  said  Benoni,  astounded 
at  the  double  recognition  of  the  prisoner. 

"It  is  he  who  saved   Saulus   from   the  thieves,   and 

brought  him  to  the  inn  at  midnight,  and  ministered  unto 

him.      I  wot  not  his  name,  but  —  oh,  wonder  of  wonders  ! 

—  as  to  Rebecca,  he  also  proclaimed  himself  to  me  as 

the  'friend  of  Saulus.'" 

"  Surely,  there  must  be  some  mistake  !  "  said  Benoni. 
"  Such  a  man  among  the  prisoners  !  " 

"  Shame  on  the  persecution ! "  exclaimed  Rebecca. 
"Is  Saulus  to  imprison  the  young  hero  who  saved  not 
only  my  life,  but  his  own  also?  " 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Saulus  despatched 
the  following  letter:  — 


THE   GREAT  HARVEST  233 

"  OFFICER  IN  CHARGE  OF  THE  PRISONERS. 

Sir,  —  Circumstances  have  conspired  to  cause  me  to  change 
the  special  order  which  I  gave  thee  concerning  the  heretic, 
Victor  Serenus.  I  was  then  minded  to  reserve  him  for  un- 
wonted punishment,  and  that  speedily ;  but  behold  I  now  order 
that  thou  at  once  release  him,  upon  the  condition  that  he  leave 
the  Holy  City  before  the  rising  of  to-morrow's  sun,  never  to 
return. 

SAULUS, 

Deputy  of  the  SanJtedrin." 

Before  the  hours  of  evening  were  far  advanced,  the 
hearts  of  Amabel  and  the  mother  of  Serenus  were  made 
glad  by  his  arrival.  Their  surprise  could  hardly  have 
been  greater  had  he  dropped  from  the  skies. 

"  O  children  of  the  New  Faith ! "  exclaimed  the  mother; 
"  God  is  good !  All  is  good !  Even  out  of  seeming  evil 
springeth  good !  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect !  " 

"What  a  day  of  fulfilment!"  said  Serenus.  "Prison 
doors  are  opened  through  the  power  of  the  Truth.  Bonds 
are  stricken  off,  not  by  an  interposition  which  suspends 
divine  law,  but  through  its  perfect  and  orderly  working." 

"Yea,"  said  Amabel;  "the  loving  thought  which  thou 
hast  held  towards  Saulus,  even  though  unknown  by  him, 
hath  borne  its  fruit." 

"The  condition  of  my  freedom,"  said  Serenus,  "is 
that  I  leave  the  Holy  City  before  the  rising  of  to-mor- 
row's sun,  never  to  return;  but  this  in  no  wise  disquiets 
me." 

Amabel's  cheeks  grew  pale,  but  she  was  silent. 

"In  time  past,"  continued  Serenus,  "it  often  seemed 
expedient  that  I  depart  from  here,  that  peraclventure 
I  might  kindle  the  flame  of  the  New  Faith  in  strange 


234  VICTOR  SERENUS 

cities.  But  that  concerning  which  I  was  formerly  in 
doubt  hath  now  been  made  clear  to  me.  While  in  the 
prison  cell,  the  Inner  Guide  prompted  me  that  I  should 
depart,  but  I  wot  not  how  it  would  come  to  pass.  I  must 
go,  even  to  Rome,  that  from  the  heart  of  the  world  I 
may  witness  for  the  truth." 

He  cast  an  inquiring  look  at  Amabel. 

"O  Amabel!  With  thy  devotion  to  the  higher  life, 
thou  hast  also  given  me  a  place  in  thine  heart.  Art 
thou  willing  to  sacrifice  worldly  preferment,  and  share 
my  lot,  that  we  may  go  hand  in  hand  to  plant  the  stan- 
dard of  a  pure  spiritual  religion?  Canst  thou  with  me 
bear  hardship  and  seeming  dishonor,  yea,  and  perad- 
venture  further  persecution,  for  the  love  of  God,  the 
sake  of  truth,  and  the  good  of  thy  kind?" 

"Yea,  Serenus!  I  fear  nothing!  I  am  willing,  nay, 
glad,  to  go  with  thee  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  that  I  may 
help  thee  to  succor  the  distressed,  strengthen  the  weak, 
raise  the  fallen,  and  awake  those  who  sleep,  whether  in 
the  flesh,  or  in  dead  works  and  ceremonies.  The  Voice 
within  me  says  — go  /" 

The  mother  of  Serenus  placed  her  hands  upon  the 
heads  of  her  children,  and  gave  them  a  loving  dedication 
and  benediction. 

Everything  was  speedily  arranged  for  an  early  depar- 
ture on  the  morrow.  An  ordained  disciple  of  the  New 
Faith,  who  lived  hard  by,  would  come  in  at  early  dawn 
and  unite  Serenus  and  Amabel  in  marriage,  according  to 
the  simple  rites  of  the  Upper  Chamber.  Before  the  mid- 
night hour  every  preparation  was  completed  for  the  new 
life  so  soon  to  begin. 


THE   GREAT  HARVEST  235 

During  the  silent  hours,  Peace,  like  a  river,  flowed  in 
upon  the  souls  in  the  quiet  home. 

Before  the  early  dawn  had  fairly  chased  away  the  deep 
shadows  of  night,  Serenus  and  Amabel  were  wedded. 

"They  spoke  of  love,  such  love  as  spirits  feel 

In  worlds  whose  course  is  equable  and  pure; 
No  fears  to  beat  away,  no  strife  to  heal, 
The  past  unsighed  for,  and  the  future  sure." 

As  the  morning  mists  were  being  dissipated,  and  the 
Temple  roof  gilded  by  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun, 
Serenus  and  Amabel,  well  mounted  on  small  but  hardy 
steeds,  passed  out  through  the  gate  leading  toward  the 
seaport  of  Caesarea.  The  mother  was  to  follow  in  a  few 
days  in  the  company  of  a  convenient  caravan. 

Passing  forward  at  a  single  bound,  over  the  months  of 
hot  persecution  noted  in  the  preceding  chapter,  during 
which  Serenus  and  Amabel  were  far  away,  we  rejoin 
Saulus  and  his  band  on  the  way  to  Damascus.  The  first 
stage  of  the  journey  was  over  the  Roman  road  which  led 
from  Jerusalem  to  Caesarea. 

As  the  Judean  sun  climbed  higher  in  the  heavens,  and 
poured  out  his  fiery  rays,  they  rode  rapidly  along  the 
hill-country  which  forms  the  divide  between  the  valley 
of  the  Jordan  and  the  Mediterranean.  At  intervals  from 
some  elevated  spot  over  which  the  route  led,  they  would 
halt  for  a  few  moments,  and  cast  a  lingering  look  back- 
ward upon  the  now  distant  golden  Temple  roof,  and  the 
white  towers  and  battlements  which  they  had  left  far 
behind.  Anon  a  far-searching  glance  to  the  westward 


236  VICTOR  SERENUS 

would  faintly  disclose  the  deep  blue  of  the  Great  Sea. 
Every  foot  of  the  way  was  rich  in  historic  association  to 
the  Israelite,  and  every  town  and  village  consecrated  by 
some  event  which  formed  a  part  of  the  national  folk-lore. 

The  companions  of  Saulus  proposed  a  rest  of  a  few 
hours  during  the  intense  heat  of  the  midday;  but  he 
refused  to  make  more  than  a  brief  stop,  barely  permit- 
ting space  to  feed  the  animals  and  satisfy  their  own 
hunger.  He  was  even  impatient  at  the  ordinary  rate  of 
progress,  and  was  minded  to  hurry  forward.  The  next 
morning  they  saw  Mount  Gerizim,  "the  Mount  of  Bless- 
ing," towering  up  in  the  distance  before  them.  Upon 
that  bald,  brown  summit  Moses  had  stationed  the  priests 
and  Levites,  to  bless  the  Children  of  Israel  when  they 
passed  over  Jordan. 

The  route  wound  through  the  soft  green  fields  which 
lie  around  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  midday  brought 
them  to  Shechem  in  Samaria,  where  they  stopped  for 
refreshment.  On  this  hallowed  ground  Jacob  had  en- 
camped and  erected  an  altar,  and  here  Joseph  had  been 
sent  to  seek  his  brethren.  On  this  spot  Joshua  had 
gathered  all  the  elders  and  judges  of  Israel,  and  they 
"presented  themselves  before  God." 

Saulus  was  familiar  with  all  this  rich  heritage  of  na- 
tional history,  so  full  of  meaning  to  the  Chosen  People; 
but  now  it  palled  upon  him,  and  seemed  dim  and  dis- 
tant. 

Leaving  the  Roman  road  at  this  point,  they  took  the 
Damascus  route  to  the  northeast,  which  was  much  more 
rough  and  difficult.  Passing  Mount  Ebal  and  Mount 
Tabor,  and  skirting  the  beautiful  Sea  of  Galilee,  set 


THE    GREAT  HARVEST 


like  a  gem  amid  the  surrounding  hills,  they  pressed  on, 
until  on  the  morning  of  the  sixth  day  they  found  them- 
selves not  far  from  their  journey's  end. 

To  the  west,  and  parallel  with  the  last  stage  of  their 
journey,  the  lofty  chain  of  the  Antilibanus  stretched  it- 
self, like  a  huge  wall,  northward  and  southward  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach.  Crowning  all,  with  serene  dignity 
and  cool  and  dazzling  whiteness,  snow-capped  Hermon 
formed  a  strange  contrast  with  the  torrid  Syrian  wilder- 
ness which  immediately  surrounded  them. 

Two  hours  more,  and  now,  in  the  far  distance,  there 
was  dimly  visible  the  "Eye  of  the  East,"  —  beautiful 
Damascus.  On  they  pressed,  and  it  gradually  enlarged. 
Now  its  white  terraced  roofs  and  cupolas  began  to  re- 
solve themselves,  and  assume  shape  and  character.  In 
what  a  mass  of  living  green  was  the  city  embowered! 
Behold  a  great  wide-stretching  emerald  oasis  was  in 
front,  in  striking  contrast  with  the  bare  brown  desert, 
within  the  confines  of  which  they  still  lingered. 

Soon  they  passed  for  a  short  distance  over  one  of  the 
spurs  of  the  Antilibanus,  and  could  look  down  and  fol- 
low with  the  eye  the  courses  of  the  long  winding  Pharpar 
and  the  "golden  Abana,"  as  they  transform  the  wilder- 
ness, and  cause  it  to  bud  and  blossom  like  the  rose. 
What  wonderful  beauty! 

By  Eastern  metaphor  Damascus  was  "a  handful  of 
pearls  in  its  goblet  of  emerald."  The  perennial  streams 
from  Lebanon  spread  into  rivulets,  and  gurgle  and  dis- 
port themselves,  forming  the  bases  for  blooming  gardens 
of  flowers  and  fruits  —  a  terrestrial  paradise. 

Again  they  descended  to  the  brown,  scorched  plain, 


238  VICTOR   SERENUS 

and  the  torrid  noonday  was  at  hand.  But  before  the 
flight  of  another  hour  they  would  be  in  Damascus,  en- 
circled and  refreshed  by  its  clear  cool  streams  —  their 
journey  ended. 

The  time  since  they  had  left  Jerusalem  seemed  well- 
nigh  age-long  to  the  young  zealot.  Deprived  of  the  hot 
hunt,  which  for  months  had  hardly  afforded  space  for 
a  quiet  thought,  he  was  forced  to  think.  In  vain  he  es- 
sayed to  still  the  confused  hum  of  the  mechanism  of  his 
soul.  To  a  mind  under  less  intense  pressure,  and  free 
from  a  stored-up  mass  of  vivid  tragic  pictures,  the  chan- 
ging scenery  and  stirring  events  of  the  journey  would 
have  afforded  occupation.  But  to  Saulus  every  hour  was 
an  hour  of  agony,  its  slowness  interminable. 

The  outward  world  of  variety  and  beauty  meant  noth- 
ing to  Saulus  now,  for  he  was  dwelling  in  a  thought- 
world  of  his  own  contriving.  He  had  walled  himself 
around  with  abnormal  and  inhuman  elements,  and  look 
which  way  he  might,  they  must  stare  at  him,  face  to 
face. 

Nearer,  vastly  nearer  than  his  surrounding  comrades, 
were  the  living,  barbed  thoughts,  which  like  imps  of 
darkness  peopled  his  mind. 

On  the  walls  and  corridors  of  his  soul  were  hung, 
high  and  low,  moving,  burning  panoramas,  and  gaze  upon 
them  he  must.  The  hellish  art,  which  he  had  unwit- 
tingly moulded  and  upreared,  thickly  curtained  the  pic- 
turesque hills  and  valleys,  the  grand  mountains,  blue 
seas,  and  flowing  rivers,  which  were  incidental  to  the 
journey.  The  prods  of  an  ox-goad  to  his  outer  flesh 
would  have  seemed  tolerable  could  they  have  been  re- 


THE   GREAT  HARVEST  239 

ceived  in  exchange  for  those  unseen  goadings  which 
punctured  his  guilty  consciousness. 

What  subtle  and  often  warring  forces  make  up  the 
mind  of  man!  How  it  may  kindle,  unwittingly  and 
even  conscientiously,  at  its  own  centre,  hellish  flames; 
while  the  same  energies,  used  after  the  divine  order,  will 
create  heavenly  harmonies  and  immortal  loves ! 

How  prolific  are  thought-activities,  and  how  blind  the 
world  to  the  related  sequences  which  are  bound  to  them 
by  hooks  of  steel !  How  untiringly  the  false  self,  in  the 
ignorance  of  its  own  deeper  nature,  forges  bonds  for  its 
own  inthralment! 

But  though  unheeded,  the  Inner  Guide  is  ever  await- 
ing an  opportunity  to  blaze  the  path  to  freedom. 

It  matters  not  that  the  intangible  scorpions  which 
sting  the  human  consciousness  have  been  invoked  in  the 
name  and  guise  of  religion.  Their  retributive  venom  is 
not  thereby  lessened. 

Each  soul  rears  its  own  dwelling-place,  and  puts  in 
furnishings  which  correspond.  The  objective  divine  or- 
der is  good,  and  only  good.  Those  spectres  and  distor- 
tions which  are  called  wrong,  evil,  and  even  hell,  which 
shrivel  and  blast  human  lives,  are  the  creations  of  dis- 
orderly and  unregulated  thought-forces.  The  beautiful 
stuff  from  which  both  an  inner  and  outer  paradise  may 
be  builded  is  strewn  around  in  endless  profusion.  It 
is  mis-direction  which  makes  it  "evil." 

Before  demonstrating  beauty  and  perfection,  men  make 
educational  mistakes,  but  the  mockery  and  hollowness  of 
failure  finally  drive  them  to  the  Real. 

Hell  is  corrective  rather  than  vindictive,  a  condition 


240  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  mind,  and  not  a  place.  It  is  as  possible  in  this  realm 
as  the  next,  and  Saulus  was  there.  He  was  a  realist, 
and  had  lived  entirely  from  the  outside.  No  lighter 
measure  of  flames  would  have  sufficed  to  bring  him  to 
himself,  and  lead  him  to  discover  true  being. 

Punishment  is  kindly  in  its  mission  to  the  world. 
Man  would  fain  sever  cause  and  effect,  but  God  has 
bound  them  together.  Had  not  a  flame  in  the  soul  of 
Saulus  broken  in  upon  his  persecutions,  they  would  not 
have  been  arrested. 

Purifying  fires  reduce  the  Counterfeit  to  ashes,  and 
then  man  is  revealed  to  himself  in  his  inmost  and  di- 
vine image.  If  evil  were  an  objective  Reality,  when 
would  be  its  end?  Thanks  to  the  Universal  Order,  it  is 
but  a  subjective  disciplinary  experience,  and  carries 
within  the  seeds  of  its  own  limitation  and  final  disso- 
lution. 

Mingled  with  the  agony  which  made  up  the  weary 
days  and  nights  of  the  journey,  Saulus  had  brief  ecstatic 
upliftments  and  visions.  Often  they  would  pass  into 
short  trances,  when  he  would  lose  all  sense  of  time  and 
surrounding,  and  dwell  in  the  realm  of  the  unseen.  His 
violent  transitions,  often  accompanied  by  some  physical 
epileptic  symptoms,  were  a  source  of  great  wonder  to  his 
companions,  who  were  exceedingly  superstitious  concern- 
ing such  weird  phenomena.  Was  he  possessed  at  times 
of  good  and  evil  spirits,  or  was  he  on  the  verge  of 
lunacy? 

The  strange  and  ungovernable  moods  of  Saulus,  with 
their  sharp  contradictions,  greatly  undermined  his  lead- 
ership, and  the  ardor  of  his  attendants  was  visibly  damp- 


THE   GREAT  HARVEST  241 

ened.  A  few  secretly  cursed  the  day  upon  which  they 
joined  the  crusade.  That  aforetime  unfaltering  hero, 
who  with  iron  will  had  inspired  them  in  former  days, 
was  broken,  and  almost  feeble.  Courage  alternated  with 
violent  and  foolish  fears.  He  heard  pursuers  upon  his 
track,  and  saw  faces  and  Shapes  that  were  unshared  in 
the  experience  of  his  comrades.  Fierce  outbursts  of  the 
spirit  of  persecution  were  followed  by  fits  of  moaning 
and  weeping.  When  he  came  out  of  his  trances,  he  was 
at  a  loss  to  know  whether  he  had  been  out  of  the  body  or 
in  the  body. 

It  seemed  as  though  Titanic  forces  within  the  soul  of 
Saulus  were  battling  for  its  possession,  with  varying  vic- 
tory and  defeat.  What  direction  will  this  tremendous 
soul-force  finally  take?  An  Inner  Spirit  was  expanding 
which  threatened  to  burst  the  bonds  and  standards  of  the 
outer  world.  Education,  religion,  custom,  and  ceremo- 
nial obligation  quivered  in  the  balance. 

The  beautiful  city  of  the  East  was  now  in  the  imme- 
diate foreground.  But  with  all  its  loveliness,  it  stood 
forth  as  the  embodiment  of  continued  persecution  and  death. 
That  shaft  pierced  between  the  joints  of  the  soul's  armor 
and  went  home.  Saulus  was  struck  through  and  through 
by  a  shock  of  spiritual  electricity.  The  overstrained 
tension  of  the  bond  which  held  him  to  the  Old  snapped 
under  the  stress  of  the  terrible  vision.1 

l  As  to  the  historic  literalism  of  the  external  phenomena  said  to  be  con- 
nected with  this  notable  inner  transition,  the  author  has  no  desire  to  dogma- 
tize either  pro  or  con.  It  is  the  privilege  and  right  of  every  one  to  make 
his  own  interpretation.  But  however  exact  in  outward  detail  the  somewhat 
variable  records  may  be  supposed  to  ba,  we  think  that  all  will  agree  that  the 
external  setting  does  not  transcend  the  realm  of  incidental  unimportance. 


242  VICTOR  SERENUS 

The  flame  of  the  Inner  Spirit  which  so  long  had 
smouldered,  burst  forth,  consuming  the  outer  shell  of 
"  wood,  hay,  and  stubble !  " 

The  Voice  which  so  often  had  struggled  in  vain  for  a 
hearing,  echoed  and  re-echoed  in  tones  of  thunder ! 

There  was  an  overshadowing  Presence  ! 

The  Inner  Christ  in  all  his  beauty  was  photographed 
by  flash-light  upon  the  soul  of  Saulus! 

The  manger  was  here,  and  the  C^/-/j/-consciousness 
came  to  birth! 

Like  the  "pure  in  heart,"  Saulus  saw  GOD! 

The  stone  was  rolled  away  from  the  door  of  the  sepul- 
chre of  self,  and  the  Resurrection  took  place. 

The  tribunal  of  God  was  set  up  at  the  soul-centre,  and 
the  divine  image  and  likeness  unveiled. 

The  altar  of  Love,  upon  which  stick  after  stick  of  fuel 
had  been  added,  even  though  soaked  by  the  sweat  and 
blood  of  persecution,  was  lighted  from  heaven,  and 
burst  into  brightness! 

The  Divine  found  another  channel  for  manifestation 
in  the  Human,  making  plain  their  intrinsic  and  ideal 
Oneness  ! 

The  sudden  enlargement  of  the  soul  of  Saulus  almost 
rent  the  tenement  of  clay. 

Sense,  time,  and  place  were  obliterated! 

The  PERSECUTOR  was  dead ! 

The  APOSTLE  had  been  born ! 


PART    SECOND 


THE  LIGHT  SPREADS  TO  THE  WESTWARD. 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  24$ 


CHAPTER   XXII 
SUNSHINE   AND   SHADOW 

"  As  down  in  the  sunless  retreats  of  the  ocean 

Sweet  flowers  are  springing  no  mortal  can  see, 
So  deep  in  my  soul  the  still  prayer  of  devotion, 
Unheard  by  the  world,  rises  silent  to  Thee." 

"WHAT  a  vision  of  beauty!  " 

Such  was  the  exclamation  of  Amabel,  as  for  the  first 
time  she  looked  upon  the  deep  blue  Mediterranean. 

The  sun  was  just  about  to  hide  himself  below  the  rim 
of  the  boundless  mirror-like  expanse  of  water,  as  the 
newly  wedded  pair  seated  themselves  upon  one  of  the 
house-tops  of  Caesarea. 

Their  journey  from  Jerusalem  had  been  taken  by  easy 
stages,  and  two  hours  before  they  had  arrived  at  the  new 
seaport  which  had  been  built  by  Herod  the  Great,  and 
named  for  his  imperial  master  at  Rome. 

Here,  where  threescore  years  before  there  had  been 
but  an  insignificant  fishing-town  with  no  harbor,  now 
stood  the  imposing  capital  of  Judea,  with  a  commerce  of 
no  mean  proportions.  Besides  the  spacious  and  preten- 
tious Herodian  palace,  there  was  a  temple  dedicated  to 
the  "divine  Caesar,"  a  theatre,  amphitheatre,  and  other 
public  buildings,  which  gave  it  the  aspect  of  a  metrop- 
olis. The  harbor  had  been  artificially  constructed  at 


246  VICTOR  SERENUS 

enormous  expense  by  Roman  skill  and  enterprise  under 
Herod's  direction.  He  caused  immense  blocks  of  stone 
to  be  brought  from  a  long  distance,  and  sunk  to  the 
depth  of  twenty  fathoms,  forming  a  semi-circular  mole, 
protected  from  the  south  and  west,  with  a  narrow  en- 
trance on  the  north,  within  which  ships  could  find  secure 
anchorage  and  refuge. 

The  strong  hand  of  Rome  reached  out  in  every  direc- 
tion during  the  days  of  her  imperial  greatness,  and  her 
works,  marvellous  in  their  extent  and  solidity,  reached 
almost  to  the  "ends  of  the  earth."  Far  outlasting  the 
conquests  of  her  panoplied  legions  and  the  sweep  of 
her  civil  authority,  her  massive  bridges,  roads,  harbors, 
palaces,  and  towers  formed  enduring  monuments  of  a  ma- 
terial greatness,  unique  in  human  history.  What  might 
she  not  have  accomplished  had  not  corruption,  sensual- 
ity, and  cruelty,  like  gnawing  worms,  eaten  out  her  very 
heart  and  life,  leaving  her  a  gilded  sepulchre  ? 

Absorbed  by  the  picturesque  charm  and  unwonted  va- 
riety of  the  scenery  about  them,  Serenus  and  Amabel 
sat  for  some  time  silent,  while  feasting  their  souls  upon 
its  richness.  Behind  them,  to  the  north  and  east,  were 
the  green,  wide-stretching  slopes  of  Mount  Carmel,  with 
vineyards  and  olive-groves,  softened  by  a  purple  haze 
which  seemed  like  a  mystical  benediction  —  the  parting 
gift  of  day. 

The  endless  expanse  of  the  great  sea  before  them  was 
so  calm  in  its  unruffled  peacefulness  that  it  seemed  to 
be  sleeping  upon  the  bosom  of  the  Infinite.  The  warm 
and  dreamy  atmosphere  was  laden  with  the  perfume  of 
gardens,  which  skirted  the  shore  and  climbed  the  hill- 


SUNSHINE   AND  SHADOW  247 

sides,  while  their  dark  green  foliage,  with  blossoms  of 
many  hues,  was  reflected  with  a  gentle  quiver  in  the 
neighboring  deeps.  The  inspiration  of  the  scene  justi- 
fied the  feeling  that  God  dwells  with  and  in  men,  and 
that  his  Spirit  and  Life  shine  through  all  material  things, 
even  though  unrecognized,  save  by  those  whose  eyes  have 
been  opened  to  the  higher  and  deeper  vision  of  the  Real. 
A  few  fishermen  were  lazily  rowing  their  light  craft 
homeward,  while  others,  who  had  already  landed,  were 
hanging  their  nets  upon  the  cliffs  to  dry.  In  the  dis- 
tance the  shrill  tones  of  the  shepherd's  pipe  calling  his 
flock,  the  varying  vibrations  of  bird-notes,  and  the  hum 
of  insects,  rounded  out  the  delicious  harmony  of  sound 
and  sight.  At  length  the  sun  disappeared,  and  the  ra- 
diant afterglow  seemed  to  transform  the  sea  into  a  great 
pearl,  whose  ever-changing  opalescence  gradually  deep- 
ened as  evening  drew  on. 

"  How  beautiful  is  night ! 
A  dewy  freshness  fills  the  silent  air  ; 
No  mist  obscures  ;   nor  cloud,  nor  speck,  nor  stain, 
Breaks  the  serene  of  heaven  : 
In  full-orbed  glory,  yonder  moon  divine 
Rolls  through  the  dark  blue  depths  ; 
Beneath  her  steady  ray 
The  desert   circle  spreads 
Like  the  round  ocean,    girdled  with  the  sky. 
How  beautiful  is  night!" 

Serenus  aroused  himself  from  deep  contemplation. 

"Behold,  O  Amabel!  what  we  see  is  but  an  unrolled 
parchment  inscribed  with  living  characters  for  our  trans- 
lation. The  voice  of  God  through  his  works  is  even 


248  VICTOR  SERENUS 

more  direct  than  that  which  cometh  through  the  mouths 
of  patriarchs  and  prophets.      Saith  the  sweet  singer  of 

Israel,  — 

'  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech, 

And  night  unto  night  sheweth  knowledge.'  " 

"  But,  O  Serenus !  who  is  wise  enough  to  give  it  inter- 
pretation ?  What  sayest  thou  of  the  Greeks,  who  worship 
Nature,  and  vainly  imagine  that  they  hear  her  many 
voices?  Are  they  not  corrupt  and  deluded?" 

"The  Grecian  pantheism  is  not  a  communion  with 
and  aspiration  after  God,  who  is  beneficent  and  univer- 
sal, but  rather  an  homage  paid  to  blind,  discordant,  and 
warring  forces,  which  are  but  the  reflection  of  the  lower 
and  sensuous  thoughts  of  the  worshipper.  The  love  of 
the  beautiful  in  the  Greek  is  a  wholesome  element  in 
itself,  but  it  is  concerned  mainly  with  appearances, 
rather  than  with  the  divine  love  which  is  articulated 
through  them.  Outward  forms  are  but  shadows,  and  he 
who  doth  not  look  through  and  beyond  them  is  unable 
to  translate  their  low,  sweet  language." 

"Canst  thou  teach  thy  willing  disciple  why  the  same 
Nature  exalteth  some,  while  others  find  no  pleasure  even 
in  scenes  like  this?" 

"  Dear  Amabel !  it  may  be  likened  unto  a  great  mir- 
ror, in  which  one  seeth  the  qualities  of  his  own  thought 
and  soul  reflected.  To  the  cruel.  Nature  is  pitiless,  and 
even  malignant;  to  the  sorrowing,  she  is  sad;  and  to  the 
joyful,  a  delight.  Even  though  the  base  may  see  some 
comeliness  in  her  graceful  forms,  yet  in  spirit  and  char- 
acter she  is  to  every  one  whatsoever  he  maketh  her." 

"How  can  that  be?  " 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  249 

"  Behold,  every  man  giveth  color  to  things  without,  by 
the  manner  of  his  thought  concerning  them.  To  the 
good,  all  things  are  good,  and  to  the  pure,  all  things 
are  pure.  We  gradually  transform  them  by  a  transfor- 
mation in  ourselves,  and  such  an  inward  growth  may  be 
compassed  in  an  orderly  manner  with  assurance." 

"  But  worldly  wisdom  hath  not  discerned  this  hidden 
path." 

"Verily  it  hath  not!  But  it  will  be  our  delight  to 
help  in  spreading  this  truth,  and  to  enlighten  darkened 
minds,  as  effectual  doors  are  opened  unto  us.  As  you 
have  learned  also,  the  bodily  tabernacle  may  be  lifted 
from  vexatious  conditions  so  that  it  may  render  reason- 
able and  pleasing  service  through  the  renewing  of  the 
mind." 

"  Light  of  my  life  !  truly  the  understanding  of  these 
things  is  above  the  price  of  rubies!  " 

"  Thou  speakest  wisely,  dear  Amabel !  Its  very  near- 
ness causeth  it  to  be  veiled  from  the  logic  and  learning 
of  the  schools.  They  look  only  with  the  eyes  of  out- 
ward observation  and  are  moved  by  '  lo  here, '  and  '  lo 
there,'  having  no  light  within.  The  creative  power  of 
high  thoughts  and  divine  ideals  hath  not  been  discovered 
by  them.  God  in  Nature  is  the  Universal  Life,  and  in 
man,  the  Son  and  Brother,  —  the  Christ !  " 

"  How  beautiful !  Did  the  prophet  of  Nazareth  teach 
these  things?  " 

"Yea,  verily;  to  him  Nature  was  transparent.  The 
lilies  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  air  furnished  him 
with  lessons  to  men,  and  the  childlike  spirit  of  little 
ones  was  interpreted  and  likened  to  the  kingdom  of 


250  VICTOR  SERENUS 

heaven.  His  judgment  had  to  do  with  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart  rather  than  with  outward  ap- 
pearances and  observances.  He  saw  God's  image  in 
himself.  Other  men  have  it  in  the  inmost,  but  igno- 
rantly  cover  it  with  vain  and  delusive  imaginings.  They 
will  continue  to  be  self -deceived  so  long  as  they  behold 
their  bodies  as  themselves.  They  who  dwell  in  appear- 
ances cannot  discern  the  Spirit.  Some  of  the  ancient 
prophets  and  poets  saw  God  everywhere ;  but  of  this  gen- 
eration, both  Jew  and  Gentile  only  feel  him  in  special 
temples  and  synagogues,  and  at  set  times  and  seasons." 

"But,  O  Serenus!  if  all  forces  and  lives  are  a  part  of 
the  one  and  universal  life  of  God,  whence  cometh  tem- 
pests and  lightnings  and  floods?" 

"  The  lack  of  a  spiritual  self-consciousness,  and  the 
mistaken  feeling  that  our  seen  forms  are  our  real  selves, 
make  such  things  seem  evil.  They  are  but  the  labor 
and  travail  of  Nature,  and  with  our  spiritual  growth  their 
terrors  will  disappear.  At  length  we  shall  learn  their 
laws,  and  make  them  our  willing  servants.  This  would 
be  so  now,  were  we  not,  ignorantly,  slaves  of  the  seen ! " 

"  Hast  thou  attained  unto  all  that  thou  makest  known 
unto  me  ? " 

"No  one  can  fully  separate  himself  from  his  day  and 
generation,  even  though  the  spiritual  pattern  be  truly 
discerned.  We  have  not  overcome,  but  are  overcoming. 
The  Ideal  is  the  inmost  Real,  but  no  one  save  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  hath  made  it  fully  manifest.  We  press  for- 
ward toward  the  Christly  mind  as  shown  through  him, 
and  can  count  as  already  ours  that  measure  of  spiritual 
stature  which  filleth  our  desire." 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  251 

"Whence  hast  thou  this  wisdom,  which  my  father, 
the  famous  teacher  and  Rabban,  never  found?" 

"  It  cometh  not  through  scholastic  excellence  and  the 
logic  of  the  head,  but  by  simple  openness  to  the  Spirit 
of  Truth.  The  power  of  God-likeness  groweth  through 
the  earnest  desire  of  at-one-ment,  rather  than  by  a  rea- 
soning philosophy  concerning  it." 

"Behold,  as  thy  disciple,  I  now  perceive  how  one 
may  be  in  the  seen  and  yet  of  the  unseen!" 

"  They  are  one ;  yet  the  outer  is  only  an  aspect  of  the 
living  realities  which  repose  behind  it." 

"  O  my  dear  husband  and  teacher ! "  exclaimed  Ama- 
bel with  delight;  "Nature  will  be  more  beautiful  than 
ever  before,  because  I  feel  its  spirit,  and  behold  it  as  a 
visible  revelation." 

"  Yea,  bride  of  my  heart !  Love  is  everywhere  written 
in  living  characters !  Our  deeper  vision  must  be  open 
to  read  them  !  " 

The  shadows  of  evening  were  thickening,  and  the 
happy  pair  reluctantly  bade  adieu  to  their  delectable 
vision  upon  the  house-top,  and  descended  again  to  mingle 
with  their  kind,  and  minister  to  human  necessity. 

Serenus  had  expected  to  find  some  vessel  at  Caesarea 
bound  directly  for  Italy,  which  would  land  at  Puteoli  or 
Brundusium,  from  either  of  which  ports  the  journey  to 
Rome  would  be  made  by  land.  But  upon  ascertaining 
that  there  was  no  immediate  prospect  for  such  an 
opportunity,  and  that  the  Salapiae,  a  merchantman  of 
good  repute,  was  already  laden  for  Tarsus,  and  to  sail 
on  the  following  day,  he  decided  to  embark  for  the 
Cilician  capital.  They  would  remain  there  for  a  time, 


252  VICTOR  SERENUS. 

until  they  were  minded  to  take  the  rest  of  the  proposed 
journey. 

Tarsus,  being  a  great  metropolis,  the  seat  of  important 
schools  of  learning,  and  the  meeting-place  of  many 
peoples  and  races,  might  prove  a  fertile  field  for  sowing 
the  seed  of  the  New  Faith.  Amabel  entered  heartily 
into  the  plan.  Though  the  birthplace  of  Saulus,  it  was 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  Judean  persecutions. 

The  Salapiae  was  a  Phoenician  vessel,  commanded  by 
a  Roman  named  Vivian,  of  favorable  reputation  and  ex- 
perience. She  was  staunch  and  large,  having  a  tonnage 
of  about  eight  hundred  tons,  and  rigged  after  the  Phoeni- 
cian pattern,  with  a  ponderous  mast  carrying  a  very  large 
mainsail  upon  a  long  yard.  A  much  smaller  triangular 
foresail  was  rigged  upon  a  bowsprit,  which  projected  over 
the  stem  of  the  vessel  forward.  She  carried  various 
carved  images  and  symbols  designed  to  insure  the  favor 
of  the  gods,  including  a  finely  wrought  Grecian  statue  of 
a  favorite  goddess,  which  was  placed  upon  the  stem-post 
at  the  bow. 

The  hour  for  setting  sail  arrived,  and  everything  be- 
tokened a  prosperous  voyage.  The  decks  were  noisy 
with  the  final  bustle  of  preparation,  and  with  much  effort 
the  heavy  anchors  were  weighed  and  secured  in  their 
places.  A  light  favoring  breeze  was  blowing  from  the 
south,  and  at  length  a  lusty  command  rang  out  to  "hoist 
all  sail; "  and  soon  the  canvas  began  to  fill,  and  the  good 
ship  drew  steadily  away  upon  her  northward  course. 

Serenus  and  Amabel  stood  upon  the  upper  deck,  and 
with  mingled  emotions  looked  back  upon  the  picturesque 
shore  of  Samaria  which  was  slowly  receding.  Though 


SUNSHINE   AND  SHADOW  253 

exiles  from  the  Holy  City,  the  world  was  before  them, 
and  they  were  happy.  Without  the  enjoyment  of  free- 
dom of  soul,  even  native  land  was  but  a  prison. 

The  day  wore  away,  the  white  towers  and  roofs  of 
Csesarea  faded  from  sight,  and  the  bold  range  of  Mount 
Carmel,  which  formed  the  rim  of  the  eastern  horizon, 
grew  dim  and  distant. 

The  voyage  was  pleasant  and  uneventful,  and  upon 
the  fourth  day  they  made  the  harbor  of  Salamis  on  the 
eastern  end  of  the  island  of  Cyprus,  where  vessels  from 
the  south  usually  touched  on  the  way  to  Tarsus.  This 
was  a  large  commercial  city,  made  especially  conspicu- 
ous by  its  important  temple  of  the  Salaminian  Jupiter. 
Beyond  the  temple  and  city  was  a  rich  plain,  encircled 
by  hills,  and  watered  by  the  abundant  streams  of  Pediaeus. 
As  in  other  cities  where  the  Jews  of  the  Dispersion  had 
settled,  there  were  several  synagogues.  During  the  day, 
over  which  the  Salapiae  remained,  Serenus  visited  two  or 
three  of  them,  making  known  the  New  Faith,  and  restor- 
ing some  sick-folk  through  the  orderly  working  of  the 
divine  power  within  him.  He  was  cordially  received  by 
the  more  liberal  of  the  Hellenistic  Jews,  and  they  were 
sorrowful  at  his  departure. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  Salapiae  again  set  sail,  and 
it  was  expected  that,  with  favoring  winds,  Tarsus  would 
be  reached  on  the  third  day. 

Everything  went  well  until  after  they  had  rounded  the 
point  of  the  promontory  of  Dinaretum,  at  the  northeast- 
ern extremity  of  the  island,  when  with  almost  no  warn- 
ing, the  vessel  was  suddenly  struck  by  a  tempest  of  great 
violence,  throwing  her  nearly  upon  her  beam-ends.  It 


254  VICTOR  SERENUS 

came  with  so  little  premonition  that  the  sailors  had 
barely  begun  to  lower  the  great  clumsy  mainsail  when 
it  was  rent  in  twain  by  the  force  of  the  wind.  This 
eased  the  vessel  except  for  a  list  to  the  leeward,  caused 
by  the  shifting  of  the  cargo.  Shrieks,  cries,  impreca- 
tions, and  prayers  to  the  gods  were  mingled  with  the  roar 
of  the  storm.  So  great  was  the  panic  that  the  master 
found  it  difficult  to  maintain  any  semblance  of  order 
among  a  crew  which  was  made  up  of  a  mixture  of  dif- 
ferent races  and  tongues. 

The  air  was  thick  with  blinding  spray,  and  the 
stricken  ship,  like  a  wounded  animal,  staggered  onward, 
laboring  and  straining  in  the  boiling  sea.  Heavy  waves 
washed  the  decks,  and  the  soaking  mass  of  shattered 
canvas  swung  to  and  fro,  its  tattered  shreds  no  longer 
resisting  the  wind,  which  howled  through  them  with  a 
thunderous  roar. 

"  By  Hercules  ! "  quoth  master  Vivian ;  "  if  it  must 
come,  the  gods  were  merciful  in  rending  the  sail,  else 
she  would  have  foundered  at  the  first  stroke !  " 

The  tempest  was  not  an  "Elisian,"  as  certain  gales 
from  the  northwest  were  designated  in  the  Levant,  but 
blew  from  the  southeast,  from  which  quarter  it  finally 
settled  into  a  steady  gale. 

The  immediate  danger  seemed  to  be  past. 

The  remnants  of  the  mainsail  were  gradually  cleared 
away,  and  the  Salapiae  scudded  before  the  wind,  under 
bare  poles,  with  the  exception  of  the  closely  reefed"  fore- 
sail, which  somewhat  steadied  her.  After  the  decks  were 
cleared  of  rubbish,  all  hands  were  put  to  work  to  right 
the  cargo,  which  was  done  with  great  difficulty.  The 


SUNSHINE   AND  SHADOW  255 

hoarse  roar  of  the  gale  continued  unbroken.  It  came 
from  a  little  to  the  east  of  south,  which  was  in  a  direc- 
tion to  drive  them  directly  toward  their  destination,  and 
there  was  plenty  of  sea  room  which  was  much  in  their 
favor.  For  their  escape  the  gods  were  thanked  in  va- 
rious tongues,  libations  poured,  and  the  commotion, 
which  had  been  so  noisy,  was  quieted. 

But  anon  a  cry  came  up  from  the  lower  hold  that  the 
Salapiae  was  leaking.  The  first  terrible  strain  of  the 
great  mainmast  had  opened  some  of  the  seams,  and  they 
were  taking  water.  Once  more  there  was  despair  upon 
the  faces  of  the  bravest-hearted  sailors.  The  gods  of  all 
grades  were  again  invoked,  and  vows  renewed.  But  the 
master  believed  in  works  as  well  as  petitions. 

"  Bring  out  the  cables ! "  he  cried.  "  She  must  be 
undergirded !  " 

With  great  labor  a  cable  was  slipped  down  over  the 
bow,  being  held  from  each  side,  and  passed  under  and 
back  until  it  encircled  the  hull  amidships,  and  then 
another,  and  both  were  strained  and  fastened  as  snugly 
as  possible  over  the  deck.  It  was  a  vain  effort.  If  it 
prevented  a  further  opening,  it  did  not  stop  the  leak. 
The  pumps  were  put  in  motion  with  frequent  relays. 

Soon  the  eventful  day  came  to  an  end,  and  the  dark- 
ness of  night  closed  around  them.  The  bellowing  wind 
held  from  the  same  quarter  with  no  diminution,  and  the 
speed,  even  with  little  canvas  spread,  was  rapid.  If  the 
leak  gained  upon  the  pumps,  the  only  safety  lay  in  mak- 
ing Tarsus,  and  therefore  the  small  amount  of  sail  was 
then  increased  as  much  as  it  would  bear,  and  the  Sala- 
piae swept  on  before  the  wind. 


256  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Amidst  all  the  confusion  of  tongues  and  conflict  of 
elements,  Serenus  remained  calm  and  unmoved.  Ama- 
bel was  at  first  disturbed,  but  after  some  reassuring 
words  from  her  husband,  she  remained  quietly  in  the 
cabin,  performing  such  little  services  for  the  over- 
worked and  panic-stricken  sailors  as  were  possible  for 
the  delicate  hands  of  a  woman.  A  part  of  the  time 
Serenus  was  at  her  side,  and  at  intervals  he  went  out 
upon  deck  to  speak  words  of  encouragement  to  officers 
and  men. 

The  master  sent  the  second  officer  below  to  make 
reports  concerning  the  progress  of  the  leak.  There 
was  intense  anxiety  to  learn  whether  the  Salapiae  were 
settling,  or  if  the  pumps  were  equal  to  the  inflow. 

"Two  cubita,"  came  up  in  hollow  but  distinct  tones 
from  below. 

An  hour  then  wearily  passed,  with  the  relay  at  the 
pumps  doing  their  utmost. 

"  Two  cubita  and  one-eighth  !  " 

As  the  report  came  to  his  ear  through  a  small  aperture 
from  below,  the  face  of  Vivian  lost  color;  but  despite  the 
news  he  went  over  to  the  pumps  and  gave  words  of 
encouragement  to  the  workers. 

"By  the  Salaminian  Jupiter,  we  shall  win!"  said  he; 
and  then  passing  along,  he  ordered  a  part  of  the  crew 
to  begin  at  once  to  throw  the  cargo  overboard.  He 
said  nothing  of  the  report  from  below,  but  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  last  order  was  understood  by  all.  Over 
the  slippery,  reeling  decks  they  began  with  a  will  to 
unload  the  Salapiae. 

They  were   still    swept   along   with   unabated   speed. 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW 


The  few  dim,  moving  lanterns,  like  fireflies  in  the  black- 
ness, seemed  to  make  the  night  thicker.  The  shrill 
creaking  of  the  pumps  sounded  like  ominous  groans  of 
prophetic  woe  as  it  rose  above  the  steady,  deep  bellow- 
ing of  the  gale. 

Another  hour  dragged  itself  slowly  by. 

"  Two  cubita  and  a  quarter  !  " 

The  night  had  hardly  begun. 

Their  former  enemy,  the  wind,  now  gave  them  the 
most  hope.  But  if  it  held,  they  could  not  hope  to 
reach  Tarsus  before  the  morning  of  the  third  day  from 
Salamis. 

It  was  a  race  ! 

Which  would  win?  the  leak  or  the  pumps? 

The  cool  self-possession  of  Serenus  greatly  impressed 
Vivian,  and  the  master,  recognizing  him  as  a  man  of 
uncommon  character,  confided  to  him  the  true  state 
of  affairs. 

Serenus  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then  replied,  — 

"With  your  leave,  I  would  speak  briefly  with  you 
again  in  two  hours." 

"As  you  will,"  he  replied,  hardly  knowing  what  he 
said,  and  thinking  the  request  of  little  importance. 

Serenus  returned  to  the  cabin,  and  seated  himself  by 
Amabel's  side,  taking  her  hand  in  his  own. 

"Bride  of  my  heart!  the  Salapiae  is  in  some  peril! 
Art  thou  repentant  that  thou  left  thy  father's  house?  " 

"Nay,  my  husband!  Whatever  may  betide,  I  am 
joyfully  with  thee  !  But  for  thee  my  life  would  have 
gone  out  before.  Thou  hast  taught  me  that  all  things 
work  together  for  the  best  for  such  as  have  faith.  I 


258  VICTOR  SERENUS 

believe  it!  Even  if  our  bodies  sink  in  the  tumultuous 
sea,  we  will  go  on  hand  in  hand,  on  missions  of  love 
and  mercy ! " 

"  God  bless  thee,  dear  Amabel !  The  growth  in  thy 
spiritual  consciousness  hath  been  marvellously  quick 
and  steadfast  ! " 

A  gentle  smile  and  a  warm  pressure  of  his  hand  were 
her  answer. 

"  And  now,  dear  Amabel !  I  would  spend  a  little  season 
alone.  Peradventure  some  light  may  come  to  me  con- 
cerning this  present  trial,  its  meaning  and  conclusion." 

"Light  of  my  life!  may  thou  be  truly  exalted  in  the 
silence." 

Amabel  remained  in  the  cabin,  while  Serenus  retired 
to  their  little  room  and  closed  the  door. 

The  gift  to  lift  the  curtain  which  veils  the  future,  in 
varying  degree,  has  come  to  a  rare  soul,  here  and  there, 
in  all  ages.  But  more  properly  it  is  not  a  favor,  spe- 
cially bestowed  from  without,  but  a  supernal  attainment 
within,  —  an  unwonted  spiritual  altitude.  The  prophetic 
instinct  lies  deeply  embedded  in  the  soul  of  man,  but 
few  there  be  who  can  strip  away  the  thick  coverings  of 
sense,  so  as  to  read  the  direction  of  the  delicate  needle 
of  the  spiritual  compass.  Such  a  power  is  no  miracle 
in  the  sense  of  a  change  or  improved  action  on  the  part 
of  the  Unchangeable  Perfection,  but  an  orderly  lifting 
of  the  soul  into  a  close  communion  with  It,  — the  Divine 
Mind.  Through  spiritual  law,  steadfast  in  its  regularity, 
—  of  which  the  world  at  large  has  yet  had  but  fitful 
glimpses, — events  not  only  distant,  but  of  the  future, 
are  clearly  laid  open  to  highly  attuned  souls.  History, 


AND  SHADOW  259 

both  ancient  and  modern,  is  marked  with  such  demon- 
strations of  the  potency  of  a  higher  law.  They  are  crown- 
ing-points of  light,  like  the  few  widely  separated  stars 
of  great  magnitude  in  the  black  firmament  of  night. 

There  is  a  psychical  unfoldment  without  its  propor- 
tionate spiritual  counterpart,  and  there  is  a  possible 
reverse  order;  but  it  is  the  supreme  and  rounded  com- 
bination of  both  which  makes  the  true  prophet. 

Such  was  Victor  Serenus. 

He  was  in  the  little  room  alone  —  no,  not  alone.  It 
was  his  to  climb  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  and  gain 
a  view  from  its  summit. 

The  great  turbulent  waves  broke  upon  the  Salapiae, 
making  her  quiver  in  every  timber  —  but  he  felt  it  not! 
The  howling  of  the  wind,  groaning  of  the  hard-pressed 
pumps,  and  a  Babel  of  voices  rent  the  air  —  but  he 
heard  them  not.  The  peril  which  threatened  every  soul 
on  board  steadily  increased  —  but  he  knew  it  not.  His 
animate  form  reclined  in  the  little  room,  but  he  was  not 
there. 

The  embrace  of  the  Infinite  was  about  him! 

As  man  reckons  the  time  of  the  eternal  now,  nearly 
two  hours  passed,  when  the  door  opened,  and  Serenus 
made  his  appearance. 


260  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

A    BATTERED   EAGLE 

Has  God  on  thee  conferred 

A  bodily  presence  mean  as  Paul's, 
Yet  made  thee  bearer  of  a  word 

Which  sleepy  nations  as  with  trumpet  calls  ? 

O  noble  heart,  accept 

With  equal  thanks  the  talent  and  disgrace  ; 
The  marble  town  unwept 

Nourish  thy  virtue  in  a  private  place. 

Think  not  that  unattended 

By  heavenly  powers  thou  steal'st  to  Solitude, 
Nor  yet  on  earth  all  unbefriended. 

EMERSON. 

"BEHOLD  we  draw  nigh  to  our  journey's  end,"  said 
the  elder  of  two  young  men  to  his  companion.  "The 
dark  red  summits  of  Sinai  lift  themselves  in  the  distance 
before  us,  and  to-morrow's  sun,  peradventure,  will  find 
us  in  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock !  " 

"The  God  of  Israel  be  praised!  "  replied  his  compan- 
ion. "  The  shelter  of  the  mountains  will  gladden  our 
hearts,  and  we  may  find  water-brooks.  It  is  a  land  of 
promise,  and  rest  and  peace  will  be  ours  when  we  leave 
behind  this  weary  desert,  thrice  heated  by  the  rays  of 
the  Arabian  sun  !  " 


A  BATTERED  EAGLE  261 

The  first  speaker  aroused  himself  a  little,  and  seemed 
to  gather  new  strength  at  the  prospect.  His  pale  face, 
dark  sunken  eyes,  trembling  nerves,  and  evident  weak- 
ness of  body  and  limb,  spoke  eloquently  of  extreme  fee- 
bleness. Yet,  as  he  gazed  forward,  a  new  light  came 
into  his  eyes,  as  if  a  strong  soul  would  spur  on  its 
frame,  and  command  it  to  live.  It  was  Saulus!1  He 
was  mounted  upon  a  well-laden  camel,  while  his  com- 
panion walked  by  his  side.  Hardly  able  to  keep  his 
hold  against  the  swaying  motion  of  the  animal,  he  clung 
as  with  the  grasp  of  desperation. 

A  shallow  stream  may  easily  be  turned  in  a  new  di- 
rection, but  to  change  the  course  of  one  whose  flashing 
current  is  deep  and  swift  is  a  herculean  transaction.  It 
must  tear  away  much  material  —  rock,  soil,  vegetation, 
and  even  trees  by  the  roots,  transforming  them  into 
washed  and  swept  debris  —  before  it  can  adjust  itself  to 
new  banks,  and  scour  another  channel.  So  a  great  soul 

1  Gal.  i.  1 6,  17.  Immediately  I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood: 
neither  went  I  up  to  Jerusalem  to  them  which  were  apostles  before  me; 
but  I  went  away  into  Arabia. 

Says  Canon  Farrar  in  his  "  Life  and  Work  of  St.  Paul,"  "  It  is  difficult 
to  conceive  of  any  change  more  total,  any  rift  of  difference  more  deep,  than 
that  which  separated  Saul  the  persecutor  from  Paul  the  Apostle ;  and  we  are 
sure  that  —  like  Moses,  like  Elijah,  like  our  Lord  Himself,  like  almost  every 
great  soul  in  ancient  or  modern  times  to  whom  has  been  intrusted  the  task 
of  swaying  the  destinies  by  moulding  the  convictions  of  mankind,  —  like 
Sakya  Mouni,  like  Mahomet  in  the  cave  of  Hira,  like  St.  Francis  of  Assisi 
in  his  sickness,  like  Luther  in  the  monastery  of  Erfurdt  —  he  would  need  a 
quiet  period  in  which  to  elaborate  his  thoughts,  to  still  the  tumult  of  his 
emotions,  to  commune  in  secrecy  and  in  silence  with  his  own  soul.  .  .  . 
Even  on  grounds  of  historic  probability,  it  seems  unlikely  that  Saul  should 
at  once  have  been  able  to  substitute  a  propaganda  for  an  inquisition.  .  . 
And  so  Saul  went  to  Arabia  —  a  word  which  must,  I  think,  be  understood  in 
its  popular  and  primary  sense  to  mean  the  Sinaitic  peninsula." 


262  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  vehement  force  is  an  impetuous  psychological  river, 
the  reversal  of  which,  if  it  be  sudden,  produces  a  spirit- 
ual cataclysm. 

If  an  eagle  of  powerful  and  sweeping  wing  be  met  in 
his  swift  course,  and  drenched  and  battered  by  an  op- 
posing storm  of  irresistible  force,  he  must  needs  alight 
a  while  upon  solid  ground,  and  through  some  quiet  re- 
cuperation plume  his  spent  and  drooping  pinions  before 
again  soaring  aloft. 

The  world  has  witnessed  few  greater  transactions  than 
the  transformation  of  Saulus.  No  material  conquest, 
and  no  physical  change  in  the  face  of  nature,  can  be 
compared  with  the  reversal  and  resurrection  of  a  great 
mind.  Well  may  it  be  called  a  " miracle,"  if  the  old 
illogical  but  common  definition  of  the  term  be  super- 
seded by  one  that  is  orderly  and  rational.  Miracles  are 
lawful,  not  lawless.  They  are  circles,  of  which  an  im- 
portant arc  is  above  the  limited  range  of  the  ordinary 
observer.  They  are  supernatural,  in  the  sense  of  being 
above  the  material  and  sensuous  comprehension,  but  not 
violations  or  suspensions  of  the  universal  Divine  Order. 
The  Author  of  all  things  is  never  disorderly  in  his 
methods. 

In  the  psychological  realm,  as  in  the  physical,  while 
there  is  a  conservation  of  energy,  there  are  also  alterna- 
tions of  action  and  reaction.  When  a  great  soul  has 
"passed  through  fire  and  water,"  a  condition  of  passivity 
and  silence  naturally  follows.  When  the  black  clouds 
that  have  been  rolled  together  by  a  great  tempest  have 
dissolved,  the  torrents  ceased,  and  the  thunder  died 
away,  then  is  sunlit  nature  unwontedly  calm  and  peace- 


A   BATTERED  EAGLE  263 

ful,  even  though  the  marks  and  scars  of  the  storm  re- 
main. 

Saulus,  sick  at  heart  and  wrenched  in  body,  yearned 
for  solitude.  It  was  an  imperative  necessity.  As  a 
stricken  deer  by  positive  instinct  leaves  the  herd,  so 
he  must  step  out  from  the  surrounding  human  current. 
Rest,  quiet,  stillness !  at  any  sacrifice  1  He  was  like  a 
tree  which  had  been  pulled  up  by  the  roots.  His 
wounds  must  have  time  to  heal,  and  the  torn  fibres  and 
tendrils  be  soothed,  refreshed,  and  readjusted.  If  the 
foundations  of  a  lifetime  have  been  swept  away,  there 
must  be  new  excavation  and  bed-rock  replacement.  The 
life  of  Saulus  had  been  a  tempestuous  current  of  destruc- 
tion to  the  "  Nazarenes."  Now  he  was  a  "  Nazarene  "  ! 

He,  who  had  been  so  exceeding  jealous  for  the  doc- 
trine of  Moses,  would  now  be  counted  as  the  enemy  of 
Mosaism.  But  Moses,  to  his  view,  was  transformed. 
No  longer  the  man  of  doctrine  and  ceremony,  he  was 
now  the  man  of  God. 

Saulus  was  tossed  and  buffeted  by  restless  waves, 
though  he  now  discerned  solid  land  before  him.  He 
must  grasp  the  Immovable  !  He  would  discover  GOD  ! 
As  Moses  had  been  impelled  to  retire  to  the  "land  of 
Midian,"  where  the  bush  glowed  with  a  flame  that  did 
not  consume,  and  where  he  had  communings  with  the 
Most  High,  so  Saulus  must  follow  the  same  path. 

During  the  process  of  the  evolution  of  the  human  in- 
dividual, every  one,  sooner  or  later,  must  go  to  his  "  land 
of  Midian."  When  the  foundations  of  time  and  sense 
begin  to  totter,  the  smaller  unit  must  discover  its  place 
in  the  Greater  1  Man  will  never  find  real  contentment 


264  VICTOR  SERENUS 

in  a  far-away  or  theoretical  Deity,  but  he  must  grasp  the 
Living  GOD.  He  is  most  readily  known  and  felt,  not 
among  the  busy  haunts  of  men,  but  in  the  wild  solitudes 
of  nature.  Amid  such  an  environment,  light  may  stream 
forth,  mysteries  be  resolved,  wounds  healed,  shelter 
found,  and  nourishment  assimilated.  In  the  SILENCE 
is  the  fitting  place  for  the  human  to  bathe  and  refresh 
itself  in  the  Divine.  At  such  seasons  man  may,  — 

"  Sit  on  the  desert  stone 
Like  Elijah  at  Horeb's  cave  alone  ; 
And  a  gentle  voice  comes  through  the  wild, 
Like  a  father  consoling  his  fretful  child, 
That  banishes  bitterness,  wrath,  and  fear, 
Saying,   'Man  is  distant,  but  God  is  near.'" 

Among  all  the  attendants  who  had  accompanied  Sau- 
lus  to  Damascus,  but  one  remained  faithful  to  him. 
Some  of  them  thought  him  suddenly  mad,  and  others 
were  minded  to  take  him  back  to  Jerusalem  under  arrest. 
Their  counsels  were  confused  and  came  to  naught.  But 
Amoz,  the  companion  of  his  former  disturbed  nights  in 
the  Holy  City,  though  having  but  little  appreciation  of 
his  great  change,  remained  personally  loyal,  and  was 
willing  to  go  with  him  for  a  time,  even  in  the  wilder- 
ness. He  sympathized  with  his  infirmities,  and  was 
tender  in  ministration. 

It  was  well  along  in  the  afternoon,  after  the  midday 
rest,  during  the  terrible  heat  of  the  desert  air,  that  the 
two  travellers  started  on  the  last  stage  of  their  weari- 
some journey.  A  great  arid  sand-waste  stretched  away 
on  both  sides  of  the  narrow  trail,  with  here  and  there  a 
few  hardy  shrubs  and  wiry  yellow  grasses  which  were 


A   BATTERED  EAGLE  26$ 

stirred  by  the  fitful  summer  air.  As  they  advanced  to- 
wards the  foothills  of  the  mountain  range,  the  landscape 
became  more  broken  by  the  numerous  wadies  which  were 
worn  by  the  torrential  mountain  streams  of  the  rainy 
season,  and  there  was  an  increased  luxuriance  of  vegeta- 
tion. 

The  Sinaitic  peninsula  is  interesting  both  on  account 
of  its  topographical  peculiarities,  and  historically  in  its 
association  with  the  giving  of  the  Law,  and  other  events 
which  are  recorded  of  the  wanderings  of  the  Children 
of  Israel  in  the  Wilderness.  Between  the  gulfs  of  Suez 
and  Akaba,  this  bold  mass  of  mountains,  lying  south  of 
the  great  desert  of  Ettyh  Paran,  projects  itself  well  into 
the  Red  Sea. 

It  was  thoroughly  apart  from  all  the  world's  high- 
ways, cities,  and  towns  —  a  veritable  corner  of  the  earth, 
surrounded  by  sea  and  desert.  Its  lofty  reddish-brown 
frowning  peaks  looked  down  upon  a  vast  solitude.  They 
were  generally  precipitous,  having  many  fissures,  hollows 
and  caves  around  their  bases,  forming  a  shelter  from 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  convenient  even  for  dwelling- 
places  most  of  the  year.  Amid  these  mountains,  hermits 
anchorites  and  pilgrims  found  a  lonely  resort  fitted  to 
their  desires. 

As  the  travellers  went  on,  the  ground  was  more  broken, 
the  valleys  deeper,  and  the  tangled  reeds  and  grasses 
greener  and  more  varied.  The  trail  led  into  a  wide, 
shallow  wady,  the  bed  of  which  was  still  soft  from  re- 
cent rains,  and  as  they  toiled  along  the  slow  ascent  the 
verdure  thickened.  An  occasional  oleander  in  bloom, 
tangles  of  climbing  vines,  scattered  mulberry-trees,  with 


266  VICTOR   SERENUS 

here  and  there  a  palm,  now  gladdened  their  sight,  in 
marked  contrast  to  the  barren  wilderness  which  they 
had  left  behind.  They  soon  found  themselves  among 
low  bluffs  and  cliffs,  with  here  and  there  a  tiny  stream 
of  clear  water  springing  from  the  cracks  of  the  fissured 
rocks. 

The  whistle  of  quail  and  the  whir  of  partridges,  with 
the  song  of  the  lark  and  rock-sparrow,  greeted  their  ears, 
and  other  birds  of  various  hues  uttered  their  notes  and 
flew  away  as  they  were  startled  from  their  reedy  coverts. 
Anon  a  sly  fox  or  frightened  jackal  was  seen  galloping 
in  the  distance.  They  had  emerged  from  heat,  bareness, 
and  deadness  into  the  region  of  living  things.  The  sun 
was  declining,  and  the  cooler  air,  with  a  great  change 
in  the  face  of  nature,  gave  Saulus  some  increase  of 
strength  and  hope. 

At  length  a  beseeching  moan  from  the  patient  drome- 
dary reminded  them  that  the  end  of  day  was  near,  and 
that  the  hour  for  encampment  and  rest  had  come.  Soon 
a  gentle  decline  of  dry,  grassy  ground  was  at  hand. 
Amoz  gave  the  camel  the  signal  to  kneel,  and  then 
carefully  supported  Saulus  in  his  arms  as  he  dismounted. 
He  had  little  strength  left,  but  yet  his  eyes,  which  had 
been  fixed  and  dreamy  during  the  day,  kindled  at  the 
new  and  more  inspiring  surroundings,  and  the  prospect 
of  much-needed  repose.  Amoz  deftly  spread  a  soft  car- 
pet upon  the  grass,  and  tenderly  placed  Saulus  upon  it, 
where  he  could  recline  while  the  preparations  for  the 
night's  encampment  were  being  made. 

As  the  ship  is  to  the  sea,  so  is  the  camel  to  the 
desert,  and  his  noiseless  stepping  and  rhythmical  careen- 


A   BATTERED  EAGLE  267 

ing  make  the  likeness  a  striking  one.  The  full  load 
and  equipment  of  the  awkward  brute  embraced  all  the 
endless  variety  of  necessities  for  nomadic  life.  Boxes 
and  bundles  were  hung  over  his  broad  back  and  secured 
by  straps  and  girths,  so  that  everything  was  snug  and 
convenient.  The  harness  included  some  color  and  em- 
bellishment, the  bridle  being  trimmed  with  scarlet 
fringe,  and  upon  the  throat-strap  was  hung  a  row  of 
tiny  tinkling  bells,  besides  other  trappings,  knots,  and 
variegated  ties,  which  made  up  a  picturesque  combina- 
tion. Pride,  care,  and  even  affection  are  lavished  upon 
the  faithful  beast,  without  whose  aid  life  and  travel 
in  the  desert  would  be  well-nigh  impossible. 

From  among  the  paraphernalia  which  formed  the 
dromedary  cargo,  Amoz  drew  a  large  circular  camel's- 
hair  cloth,  with  a  bundle  of  rods  and  a  light  strong  pole. 
The  frame  was  joined  and  the  pole  planted,  and  with 
the  cloth  fastened  over  them,  a  tent,  small,  but  ample 
for  a  person  to  stand  upright  in,  was  soon  constructed. 
This,  with  the  grassy  carpet  beneath  and  other  accesso- 
ries, formed  a  nomadic  home  quite  complete  for  the 
air  of  Arabia. 

From  pouches  and  willow  baskets  Amoz  brought  forth 
materials  for  a  meal.  There  were  dried  and  smoked 
meats,  dates,  pomegranates,  wheaten  wafers,  honey, 
cheese  made  from  goat's  milk,  and  wine  in  skin  gur- 
glets.  These,  with  fresh  water  from  a  near-by  spring  in 
the  cliff,  made  a  comfortable  repast.  The  camel  was 
groomed,  and  given  a  store  of  water,  of  which,  for 
three  days  past,  the  desert  had  not  afforded  a  drop. 

The  moist  freshness  of  the  air  and  neighboring  ani- 


268  VICTOR  SERENUS 

mal  and  vegetal  life,  with  the  fact  that  he  was  near 
his  journey's  end,  stirred  some  new  life  in  the  veins 
of  the  sore  and  bruised  Saulus,  and  for  the  first  time 
in  years  there  seemed  to  be  nourishment  and  rejoicing 
in  his  immediate  environment. 

The  sun  was  slowly  sinking  in  the  western  horizon, 
his  parting  beams  brilliantly  lighting  up  the  deep-red 
and  purplish  summits  and  cliffs  of  Sinai,  which  were 
now  in  near  and  full  view.  As  Saulus  gazed  upon 
them  they  seemed  almost  instinct  with  life  and  weird 
mystery.  Especially  the  towering  heights  of  Horeb 
were  eloquent  with  ancient  sacred  story.  The  great 
cluster  of  lesser  peaks  stood  up  like  gigantic  living 
witnesses  of  distant  events,  and  brought  them  near. 
When  in  times  gone  by  Saulus  had  read  the  records 
of  the  scenes  which  here  had  transpired,  they  seemed 
dead  and  formal,  but  now  they  teemed  with  life. 

Darkness  drew  on,  and  with  crowns  newly  silvered 
by  the  rising  moon,  these  great  silent  sentinels  told 
anew  their  mute  story.  Was  "  I  AM  "  here  ?  He  who 
had  led  the  Children  through  this  land,  who  handed 
down  the  Law  to  them,  whose  thunderings  made  them 
tremble  and  whose  lightnings  terrified  them  ?  The 
Past  is  a  part  of  the  Present.  If  "I  AM  THAT  I  AM" 
dwelt  here  of  old,  he  is  not  less  present  now.  And 
those  great  souls,  Moses  and  Elijah,  who  aforetime  trod 
these  solitudes,  gazed  upon  these  cliffs,  and  tabernacled 
in  Horeb  —  do  they,  unseen  by  the  eye  of  sense,  ever 
revisit  these  scenes? 

Do  the  generations  which  follow  each  other  in  quick 
succession  repeat  in  endless  round  the  same  experi- 


A   BATTERED  EAGLE  269 

ences,  again  suffer  the  same  trials  and  meet  the  same 
obstacles,  or  do  they  learn  new  lessons,  make  fresh  ad- 
vances, and  dwell  upon  higher  levels  ?  Is  the  ancient 
code  of  stern  legality,  the  close  mechanical  limitations 
of  "Thou  shalt  not,"  to  be  gradually  set  aside  by  the 
true  ideal  of  a  positive  spiritual  freedom,  faith,  love, 
and  good  works? 

As  the  shades  of  evening  thickly  gathered,  Saulus 
looked  up  towards  the  shining  firmament  which  testi- 
fied to  the  infinite  and  unchangeable  perfection  of  the 
Divine.  Surely,  God  and  his  ways  can  neither  improve 
nor  grow  old;  but  the  seeming  alteration  in  his  dealings 
with  the  children  of  men  must  be  in  their  own  varying 
moods  and  short  range  of  vision.  Here  his  meditation 
was  suddenly  interrupted. 

He  was  seized  with  his  nightly  trembling  fit,  with 
its  usual  accompaniment  of  direful  fears,  forebodings, 
and  tragic  visions  of  the  past.  Every  evening  brought  a 
recurrence  of  these  nervous  spasms,  which  rudely  broke 
in  upon  him  at  the  same  hour,  regardless  of  how  he 
might  be  occupied.  His  agony  was  fearful  to  behold. 
With  loud  groans  he  cried  out  to  the  living  God  for 
forgiveness  and  release. 

"O  God,  spare  me!  Cleanse  me  from  this  awful 
blood-guiltiness !  O  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  have  mercy  !  " 

There  trooped  in  terrible  procession  before  his  mind 
the  forms  and  faces  of  many  innocent  ones  whom  he  had 
scourged  and  tortured.  In  the  chill  of  a  cold  perspira- 
tion he  cried  out  and  implored  that  his  eyes  might  be 
closed  against  a  repetition  of  the  scenes  of  the  Holy 
City,  but  nothing  could  shut  them  out.  With  contortion 


2/O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  face,  shaking  of  limb,  and  agony  of  soul,  at  length 
he  sank,  from  thorough  exhaustion  into  enforced  quie- 
tude. After  gradually  reviving  and  recovering,  he  re- 
mained free,  until  the  next  evening  again  ushered  in  the 
same  terrible  experience. 

"  A  thousand  fantasies 
Begin  to  throng  into  my  memory, 
Of  calling  shapes,  and  beck'ning  shadows  dire, 
And  airy  tongues  that  syllable  men's  names 
On  sands  and  shores  and  desert  wildernesses." 

Amoz  faithfully  ministered  to  the  necessities  of 
Saulus,  tenderly  soothing  him  with  brotherly  sympathy, 
until  long-sought  quietude  settled  upon  the  little  tent 
for  the  night. 

The  deep  scars  of  sin  and  crime  only  can  be  healed 
by  slow  growth.  The  well-worn  thought-channels  of  a 
mind  which  has  done  violence  to  laws  of  its  own  di- 
vine being  cannot  be  filled  and  levelled  by  any  sud- 
den change  of  belief  or  doctrinal  transformation.  Well 
would  it  be  for  the  world,  if  once  it  could  be  con- 
vinced that  cause  and  effect  can  no  more  be  severed 
upon  the  psychical  and  spiritual  planes  than  in  the 
material  realm.  There  is  no  short  cut  or  evasion  in 
the  moral  economy.  Nothing  on  earth  can  put  away 
a  state  of  consciousness  in  man  but  the  growth  of  a 
different  one,  which  only  may  gradually  and  lawfully 
displace  it.  It  cannot  be  driven  out  forcibly  or  quickly. 
Character  is  formed  of  thought-habits,  and  their  exer- 
cise and  dominance  give  them  ever  increasing  rigidity. 
A  renewing  of  the  mind  consists  of  its  activity  pro- 
jected into  a  higher  realm.  When  the  leading  trend 


A   BATTERED   EAGLE  2? I 

of  a  soul  is  discordant  with  the  divine  order  and  pri- 
mal love,  the  outcome  is  sure  to  be  a  moral  wrench 
difficult  to  repair. 

The  early  morning  sun  again  gilded  the  brown  and 
deep-red  peaks  of  Sinai,  and  Amoz  was  up  betimes  to 
prepare  the  simple  morning  meal,  and  make  ready  for 
the  remaining  short  journey. 

The  high  ground  upon  which  they  had  encamped 
afforded  a  wide  view  to  the  eastward,  and  the  sweet 
and  moist  morning  air  and  dewy  freshness  made  the 
broad  expanse  seem  like  a  newly  discovered  paradise. 
In  the  distance  the  broad  blue  Gulf  of  Akaba  reflected 
the  golden  beams  of  the  rising  orb  of  day,  gleaming 
like  a  great  opalescent  sea  of  pearl,  while  in  the  dim 
purple  distance  beyond  arose  the  misty  Arabian  peaks 
which  skirt  its  farther  shore.  The  morning  was  a  bene- 
diction, and  the  world  seemed  peaceful  and  good.  Na- 
ture glowed  with  life  and  cheer,  and  the  early  lights 
and  shadows  capriciously  chased  eaqh  other  up  and 
down  the  mountain-slopes  in  unending  procession.  The 
cloud-forms  which  gracefully  floated  over  the  grim  sum- 
mits seemed  to  correspond,  in  their  fleeting  evanes- 
cence, to  the  passing  generations  of  men  which  these 
silent  rock-ribbed  witnesses  had  looked  down  upon,  as 
if  they  had  been  a  slow-moving  but  endless  caravan. 

Is  anything  in  the  universe  fixed  and  enduring?  Yea, 
the  immortal  life  of  man!  He  whose  material  exist- 
ence is  like  the  flitting  cloud-shadows  possesses  a  real 
selfhood  that  will  expand  and  develop  when  yonder 
solid  peaks  shall  have  dissolved  to  dust  and  found 
their  lowest  level. 


2/2  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Saulus  felt  new  strength  and  inspiration  from  the 
breath  and  fragrance  of  Nature  that  smiled  upon  him. 
The  beautiful  surroundings,  or  rather  the  great  exu- 
berant Life  which  pulsated  through  them,  seemed  to 
warm  his  soul,  and  cause  a  bursting  forth  of  the  inmost 
springs  of  his  nature.  The  hard,  formal  religiosity, 
which  like  an  unyielding  shell  had  long  encased  him, 
was  beginning  to  soften  and  gradually  disintegrate  be- 
fore the  force  of  the  new  spiritual  current  in  his  soul. 

After  the  morning  meal  was  finished,  and  the  camel 
had  been  fed,  groomed,  and  harnessed,  the  light  tent 
was  struck,  and  it,  with  the  other  paraphernalia,  loaded 
upon  him,  they  started,  Saulus  riding  in  his  place,  and 
Amoz  walking,  as  was  his  wont.  Two  or  three  hours 
more  and  they  would  be  at  the  foot  of  Horeb,  —  their 
journey's  end.  Why  were  they  going  there?  Amoz  had 
often  put  this  question  to  Saulus,  but  no  response  had 
been  offered.  He  did  not  refuse  to  answer  from  any 
unwillingness,  but  was  unable  to  divine  any  definite  plan 
even  to  himself.  Something  seemed  to  draw  him.  Was 
it  blind  fate?  Nay!  he  was  guided  by  a  spiritual  in- 
stinct, strong  but  gentle,  soft  though  unerring.  He  could 
not  fathom  it. 

From  the  time  of  leaving  Damascus,  through  all  the 
weary  days  in  the  terrible  desert,  there  had  been  no 
wavering  nor  uncertainty.  Unseen  guidance  shaped  the 
pilgrimage  in  every  detail,  mysterious  even  to  its  chief 
actor.  A  path  opened  before  him,  and  he  felt  drawn 
to  follow  its  devious  winding.  While  he  had  a  gen- 
eral purpose,  he  felt  that  its  definite  unfoldment  was 
provided  for  by  that  which  was  superior  to  himself. 


A   BATTERED  EAGLE  273 

He  desired  to  go  for  a  season  beyond  the  haunts  of 
men,  and  to  breathe  the  pure  air  of  heaven,  but  the 
particulars  were  plainly  none  of  his.  Could  it  be  a 
divine  guidance?  He  had  always  believed  that  the 
orderings  of  Jehovah  came  through  outward  signs,  thun- 
derings  and  miracles.  An  earthquake  or  a  tempest 
might  have  been  interpreted.  But  what  of  this  still, 
gentle  influence  within  him?  What  could  move  a  soul 
which  had  been  the  noisy  arena  of  warring  forces  and 
tumults?  But  this  seemed  to  well  up  from  the  very 
depths  of  his  being.  Could  it  be  God? 

Had  a  line  been  stretched  all  the  way  from  Damas- 
cus for  him  to  follow  he  would  have  gone  no  more 
unerringly,  but  yet,  mystery  though  it  were,  he  felt  sub- 
ject to  no  pressure. 

How  many  souls  have  vainly  sought  the  world  over 
to  find  the  Infinite, — the  Universal  Good, — and  have 
finally  discovered  him  in  their  inmost  nature!  They 
have  delved  through  history,  roamed  over  continents, 
visited  holy  places,  searched  through  creeds,  scanned 
philosophies,  sounded  the  depths  of  ecclesiasticism, 
traversed  the  circumference  of  systems  and  institutions, 
and  bowed  to  the  authority  of  priest  and  ritual,  only  to 
discover  at  last  the  divinity  of  the  real  selfhood,  —  that 
inner  light  which  is  set  for  the  teaching  of  "every  man, 
coming  into  the  world."  How  many  have  looked  high 
and  low,  and  cried,  "Lo  here"  and  "Lo  there,"  who 
needed  only  thorough  self-interpretation  I  How  many 
inmost  and  potential  "sons  of  God,"  through  the  mis- 
direction of  the  imaging  or  creative  faculty  of  soul, 
have  unwittingly  cast  their  own  shadows  as  sons  of 


2/4  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Belial,  and  thereby  accepted  the  dominance  of  evil ! 
How  many,  through  the  glamour  of  a  formal  and  institu- 
tional plan  of  salvation,  have  unconsciously  covered  the 
hidden  and  normal  divinity  of  humanity !  How  many, 
through  an  artificial  and  abnormal  humility,  have  rated 
themselves  as  "poor  miserable  sinners,"  and  as  a  nat- 
ural consequence  been  subtly  drawn,  through  a  moral 
pessimism,  toward  the  outline  of  their  own  specification  1 
Two  hours  of  early  morning  travel  brought  Saulus 
and  Amoz  to  the  rock-ribbed  base  of  Mount  Horeb. 
The  cooling  shade  of  trees  and  shrubs,  the  fresh  fragrant 
air,  and  the  grand  outlook  as  they  came  upon  the  still 
more  elevated  ground  at  the  foot  of  the  great  cliff,  gave 
Saulus  a  strange  sense  of  detachment  from  the  earth. 
He  felt  an  unwonted  spiritual  upliftment  and  exhilara- 
tion which  was  a  revelation.  The  surrounding  sweet- 
ness, the  silence,  broken  only  by  the  song  and  twitter 
of  an  occasional  bird,  descended  like  a  healing  balm 
upon  the  stained  and  scarred  soul  of  the  erstwhile 
inquisitor. 

"  No  tears 
Dim  the  sweet  look  that  Nature  wears." 

The  great  "Mount  of  God,"  firm  and  unchangeable, 
looked  down  with  mystical  and  compassionate  dignity, 
as  if  to  bear  witness  to  the  touch  of  things  eternal;  to 
invest  the  soul  of  the  observer  with  a  divine  awe,  per- 
chance again  to  unroll  for  the  instruction  of  Saulus  the 
great  Drama  of  the  Chosen  People. 

The  narrow  trail  which  had  been  followed  the  day 
before  had  gradually  faded  out  or  lost  itself  in  various 


A   BATTERED   EAGLE  2?$ 

disused  paths  which  branched  in  different  directions, 
and  now  the  twain  found  themselves  close  against  the 
precipitous  side  of  the  mountain. 

"Verily  we  must  turn  to  the  right  or  the  left,"  said 
Amoz,  "for  we  can  go  no  farther.  But  here  is  a  cool 
and  shady  thicket.  Let  us  go  beneath  its  shelter  and 
rest  a  while." 

Guiding  the  camel  skilfully,  they  threaded  their  way 
into  the  clump  of  blossoming  oleanders  and  mulberry- 
trees,  soon  coming  to  a  mass  of  clinging  vines  which 
concealed  the  face  of  the  great  overhanging  cliff  in 
front.  Amoz  helped  Saulus  to  alight,  and  the  faithful 
beast  uttered  a  cry  of  joy  as  he  awkwardly  kneeled  for 
the  removal  of  his  load.  The  equipments  were  soon 
unladen,  and  there  was  a  feeling  that  the  long,  weari- 
some journey  was  at  an  end.  In  the  midst  of  such 
verdure  and  freshness  the  toilsome  days  in  the  desert 
seemed  only  like  a  troublesome  dream  which  had  almost 
faded  out.  The  face  of  Saulus  brightened,  the  dark 
rings  around  his  eyes  were  less  heavy,  and  he  felt  some 
increase  of  strength. 

"The  mysterious  Voice  which  speaks  within  me  still 
commands,  '  Go  forward  !  '  "  said  Saulus. 

"  But,  O  my  brother,  we  are  close  against  the  Mount ! 
How  can  we  go  farther?" 

"I  know  not!  But  still  its  tone  is  clear,  '  Go  for- 
ward!'" 

Amoz  left  Saulus  for  a  moment,  and  carefully  made 
his  way  through  the  tangle,  to  spy  out,  if  possible,  the 
immediate  foreground.  He  brushed  aside  the  climbing 
vines,  and  found  himself  face  to  face  with  the  solid 


2/6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

rock.  He  was  just  about  to  turn  back,  when  his  eyes 
rested  upon  something  which  had  the  general  form  of 
ancient  Hebrew  text.  The  lapse  of  ages,  with  the  moist 
atmosphere,  had  well  nigh  covered  it  with  a  luxurious 
growth  of  velvety  mosses,  but  he  could  not  be  mistaken. 

"  The  hand  of  man  hath  wrought  this !  "  he  exclaimed 
to  himself;  and  without  waiting  to  make  any  further  ex- 
amination he  hurried  to  inform  Saulus. 

"  Behold,  O  Saulus !  the  cliff  hath  been  graven  by  the 
hand  of  man !  " 

"I  will  go  with  thee,  and  peradventure  we  may  give  it 
interpretation !  " 

As  it  was  close  at  hand,  Saulus,  with  the  assistance 
of  his  companion,  found  no  difficulty  in  working  his  way 
through  the  vines  to  the  impenetrable  barrier  of  stone. 
Amoz  quickly  cleared  away  the  tangle,  and  then  strip- 
ping off  the  mossy  hangings,  an  inscription  stood  before 
them  in  bold,  deeply  engraved  Hebrew  characters,  — 

"GOD   IS   HERE." 

Saulus  and  Amoz  instinctively  removed  their  sandals, 
and  bowed  their  faces  to  the  ground.  They  felt  a  Pres- 
ence surrounding  them.  The  place  was  holy  ground. 
The  very  trees,  vines,  and  leaves  seemed  to  breathe  forth 
a  fragrant  benediction.  To  the  inner  eye  they  glowed 
with  brightness  and  were  not  consumed.  After  a  sea- 
son of  silent  adoration  they  arose  and  reverently  made 
further  examination.  They  found  other  carvings  and 
symbols,  mystical  in  form,  which  they  were  unable  to 
interpret. 

"Of  a  surety,  the  Voice  which  guided  us  hither  is 


A   BATTERED  EAGLE  277 

none  other  than  the  Voice  of  God !  "  said  Saulus.  "  In 
the  fulness  of  time  it  will  make  everything  plain !  "  he 
continued  with  confidence. 

"Yea,  I  also  am  persuaded  that  thy  footsteps  have 
been  divinely  led  to  the  Holy  Mount.  Here  we  will 
tabernacle  until  thou  hast  recovered  thy  strength." 

"I  am  already  stronger!  The  Voice  will  guide  and 
help  me!  Behold,  I  have  found  God!  " 

His  eye  kindled  with  a  new  light,  and  his  features 
were  suffused  with  an  unwonted  vigor  and  life.  He 
trembled,  not  with  the  fulness  of  fear,  as  in  the  nightly 
spasms,  but  with  a  thrill  of  joy. 

O  wondrous  mountain  !  O  wondrous  world  that  pul- 
sates with  the  breath  of  God  !  O  mystery  of  mysteries ! 
God  meets  men  face  to  face ! 

Reverently  brushing  back  more  of  the  tangle,  and  care- 
fully removing  the  velvety  covering,  they  beheld  another 
inscription, — 

"GOD  IS   ETERNAL  LOVE   AND  LIFE." 

Saulus  was  lifted  to  the  supremacy  and  sublimity  of 
a  new,  triumphant  faith.  He  felt  the  sweet  certainty  of 
something  nobler  and  purer  than  he  had  ever  conceived; 
a  gladness  that  nestled  in  his  heart,  making  it  warm  and 
tranquil.  He  had  no  favor  to  ask  or  petition  to  make  of 
the  Divinity  which  embraced  him,  for  his  soul  was  filled 
—  satisfied.  There  was  no  lack.  Enswathed  in  the  Eter- 
nal Presence,  he  could  crave  no  more. 

Every  branch  and  twig  and  leaf  seemed  to  be  tipped 
with  a  lambent,  gleaming  light  which  shone  upon  him. 
The  whole  Vision  smiled,  and  the  Voice  gave  him  a  wel- 


278  VICTOR  SERENUS 

come,  until  with  bated  breath  and  throbbing  heart  he 
had  a  sense  of  leaving  the  body,  and  rising  and  being 
encircled  by  a  golden  aureole. 

With  eyes  upturned,  the  bodily  form  of  Saulus  sank 
quietly  back  until  he  lay  stretched  upon  the  soft,  mossy 
couch  beneath  him.  The  seen  world  faded  out  amidst 
the  uprearing  of  a  transcendent  ecstasy. 


Amoz  sat  by  his  side,  wondering  at  the  experiences  of 
the  great  soul  which  he  had  seen  so  variously  possessed. 
A  smile  played  upon  the  upturned  face  of  Saulus  as  he 
lay,  calm  and  unconscious,  in  the  cooling  shade.  Was 
there  a  prophetic  gleam  of  future  power  and  glory  ?  Was 
there  some  dim  foretaste  of  an  Apostolic  energy,  which 
should  reach,  not  merely  one  race,  but  possess  a  mould- 
ing influence  upon  the  world  ?  Had  he  been  carried 
up  in  a  Chariot  of  Fire  to  an  altitude  where  he  could 
look  out  over  the  Future,  and  rapturously  behold  the  ac- 
tivity of  unseen  forces  and  intelligences,  through  whose 
final  triumph  the  kingdom  of  universal  love  and  har- 
mony—  that  at-one-ment  of  the  Divine  and  Human  — 
is  to  be  ushered  in  ? 


At  length  Saulus  opened  his  eyes  and  sat  upright. 
He  said  nothing  of  the  Vision,  for  it  was  unspeakable. 

Hand  in  hand  Saulus  and  Amoz  stood  up  and  drew 
nearer  to  the  great  rocky  Breast,  which  reached  almost 
perpendicularly  far  up  beyond  the  range  of  their  vision. 
Again  they  essayed  to  decipher  and  interpret  the  mys- 


A   BATTERED    EAGLE  279 

terious  signs  and  symbols  which  were  clustered  about 
the  plain  sentences  already  read,  but  in  vain. 

Then  they  noticed  a  peculiar  series  of  small  charac- 
ters, which  extended  to  the  right,  behind  the  tangle. 
Following  its  lead,  and  carefully  clearing  away  the  vines 
and  leaves  which  covered  its  farther  course,  there  was 
soon  revealed  a  great  cleft  in  the  rock.  It  seemed  to 
lead  directly  into  the  heart  of  mighty  Horeb,  and  was 
broad  enough  to  admit  a  laden  camel.  A  light,  cool 
breeze  was  issuing  from  within,  and  the  entrance  was 
smooth,  dry,  and  inviting. 

With  an  eager  and  expectant  air  the  two  young  He- 
brews entered  side  by  side,  and  were  soon  beyond  the 
light  of  the  outer  world. 


280  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

ON   THE   VERGE   OF   THE   UNSEEN 

"  In  the  room 

Of  this  grief-shadowed  present,  there  shall  be 
A  Present  in  whose  reign  no  grief  shall  gnaw 
The  heart,  and  never  shall  a  tender  tie 
Be  broken  ;   in  whose  reign  the  eternal  Change 
That  waits  on  growth  and  action  shall  proceed 
With  everlasting  Concord  hand  in  hand." 

THE  commander  of  the  Salapiae  anxiously  paced  the 
dark,  slippery  deck,  occasionally  halting  to  encourage 
the  sailors,  or  direct  in  the  movement  of  some  heavy 
piece  of  the  cargo  which  was  to  be  cast  overboard,  to 
lighten,  so  far  as  possible,  the  stricken  ship.  The  shrill 
creaking  of  the  pumps,  as  they  were  unceasingly  worked 
in  the  prevailing  darkness,  sounded  as  might  the  sighs 
and  moans  of  malignant  fiends,  who  were  derisively  gloat- 
ing over  the  rich  prey  of  which  they  already  felt  sure. 

Another  signal  from  below  caught  the  quick  ear  of 
Vivian,  and  he  proceeded  to  the  small  tube  which  led 
down  to  the  hold,  and  bending  over  he  heard  in  sepul- 
chral tones,  — 

"Two  cubita  and  a  half!" 

"  The  gods  be  merciful ! "  he  exclaimed  to  himself. 
"Nothing  less  than  their  interposition  can  save  us!" 

The  hoarse  vibrations  of  the  surrounding  tempest  were 


ON   THE    VERGE    OF   THE    UNSEEN  28 1 

mingled  with  its  shriller  tones  produced  by  its  hissing 
sweep  through  the  shattered  spars  and  rigging,  all  com- 
bining, like  the  different  instruments  in  a  great  orches- 
tra, to  render  a  grand  minor  symphony  of  Woe  and 
Despair. 

By  great  exertion  they  were  able  to  raise  a  little  more 
canvas,  as  the  only  hope  lay  in  making  Tarsus,  or  some 
other  port  on  the  Cilician  coast,  toward  which  the  wind 
was  sweeping  them.  Though  much  more  distant  than 
Salamis,  which  they  had  left  behind,  there  was  no  choice. 
They  could  go  only  where  they  were  driven.  The  gods 
were  invoked  and  libations  poured,  that  the  gale,  which  at 
first  had  brought  them  disaster,  might  continue.  Could 
they  make  Tarsus  before  the  Salapiae  would  fill  and  go 
to  the  bottom? 

The  panic  and  confusion  which  had  prevailed  among 
the  crew  of  many  races  gradually  subsided,  and  a  grim 
desperation  settled  down  upon  all.  Each  worked  with 
a  dogged,  sullen  intensity,  as  though  the  fate  of  all 
depended  upon  his  own  persistency  of  effort. 

To  actually  face  death  sometimes  seems  to  inspire  a 
kind  of  stolid  indifference.  Even  to  the  ignorant  and 
worldly  man  the  vital  fact  comes  home  that  it  can  come 
but  once,  and  that,  after  all,  the  peculiar  time  and  means 
of  the  most  universal  of  all  human  experiences  are  not 
so  very  important.  The  divine  economy  of  the  human 
constitution  is  such  that  when  the  great  Fact  looms  up 
in  the  near  foreground,  there  is  often  an  unwonted  seren- 
ity and  confidence  that  are  lacking  in  lesser  trials,  or 
even  in  its  own  more  distant  anticipation. 

Deep  down  beneath  the  perturbed  and  noisy  surface 


282  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  human  consciousness  there  is  an  inherent  and  in- 
stinctive faith  in,  and  recognition  of,  the  righteousness 
and  even  beneficence  of  that  which  Is  and  Must  Be. 
Only  a  merciful  Providence  could  have  provided  that  the 
life-long  fear  of  meeting  the  "King  of  Terrors"  should 
measurably  fade  out  upon  his  near  approach. 

Whatever  may  betide,  every  man  feels,  in  the  profound 
recesses  of  his  heart,  that  he  will  be  justly  dealt  with, 
and  that  the  natural  penalty  for  his  misdeeds  should 
not  be  shunned,  and  that  perhaps  in  some  way  it  is  well 
that  it  should  come.  The  artificial,  dogmatic,  and  su- 
perficial elements  drop  away,  and  a  divinely  implanted 
subconscious  sense  of  universal  equity,  and  even  love, 
finally  comes  to  the  surface  and  makes  itself  felt. 

Man  feels  that  he  is  to  be  fairly  weighed,  and  will 
inevitably  find  his  own  moral  and  spiritual  specific  grav- 
ity. The  universe  is  so  ordered  that  he  will  invariably 
measure  himself,  for  it  is  best  that  he  should.  He  that 
is  condemned  is  self-condemned.  True,  he  regrets  his 
own  manifold  mistakes,  selfishness,  and  sensuous  degra- 
dation. Their  penalties  will  surely  scarify  him,  and 
make  up  his  beneficent  hell,  through  which  he  must 
pass,  either  here  or  hereafter,  in  order  to  purification. 
Metals  are  only  purged  of  their  dross  by  being  cast 
into  the  crucible. 

Salvation  must  be  the  result  of  free  moral  character, 
and  that  must  grow  from  within,  for  it  cannot  be  im- 
posed. This  fundamental  principle  underlies  all  surface 
religions,  dogmatisms,  and  systems. 

The  Salapiae  plunged  dizzily  onward.  Amid  the  swash 
of  waves  upon  the  deck,  and  the  swinging  to  and  fro  of 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF   THE    UNSEEN  283 

the  tattered  remnants  of  sails  which  kept  time  to  her 
staggering  rhythm,  a  few  dim,  moving  lanterns,  like  fit- 
ful fireflies,  were  all  that  could  be  discerned. 

Vivian  never  lost  courage  and  composure,  though  he 
recognized  that  the  race  between  the  leak  and  Tarsus 
included  only  a  bare  possibility  of  reaching  the  latter, 
the  probabilities  being  an  hundred-fold  in  favor  of  the 
former. 

It  was  past  midnight  when  Serenus  emerged  from  the 
little  cabin  where  he  had  been  in  the  silence  —  with  the 
Universal.  His  mien  was  calm  and  confident,  and  his 
face  radiant  with  a  sense  of  inner  reserve  and  spiritual 
upliftment.  He  first  sought  Amabel,  who  was  patiently 
awaiting  him.  There  was  no  trace  of  care  on  her  beauti- 
ful face,  and  she  greeted  him  with  a  warm  embrace. 

"  Is  it  well,  my  husband  ?  " 

"It  is  well,  Light  of  my  life!  We  shall  be  brought 
safely  through  this  trial,  and  it  will  prove  a  blessing  to 
many.  While  I  am  persuaded  of  the  result,  I  wot  not 
in  what  manner  the  escape  will  come." 

"Is  the  sea  cruel  and  treacherous,  or  does  the  trial 
come  for  our  sifting  and  testing?" 

"  The  sea  is  good,  even  though  it  now  seem  contrary. 
Trials  come  in  the  ordinary  course  of  things,  and  seem- 
ing adversity  is  the  '  Adversary  '  which  appears  so  that 
we  may  grow  through  the  process  of  overcoming  him. 
Satan  is  the  Tester,  or  negative  Developer,  of  man.  But 
for  trials  and  obstacles,  life  would  become  stagnant  and 
unprofitable  for  lack  of  exercise.  Behold,  the  glory  of 
the  latter  end  of  Job  was  the  result  of  an  experience  in 
which  the  Adversary  had  an  important^  office. " 


284  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  But  surely  such  a  trial  as  this  tempest  is  not  a  thing 
to  be  sought  ?  " 

"  Nay,  verily !  We  are  not  to  go  into  temptation,  or 
seek  for  trial !  Only  such  testing  as  comes  from  beyond 
our  control  can  minister  to  our  discipline  and  profit. 
Having  faithfully  followed  our  highest  inward  guidance, 
everything  that  comes  will,  in  some  way,  be  transformed 
into  blessing." 

"  O  my  beloved  !  I  feel  that  what  you  say  is  true,  but 
yet  it  seemeth  to  be  a  great  mystery.  Hark !  behold  the 
tempest  hath  a  sound  like  the  roaring  of  lions! " 

"Hast  thou  forgotten  the  record  of  Daniel?  His  up- 
lifting faith  closed  the  mouths  of  the  lions  of  his  day ! 
These  will  be  closed  also !  Behold  it  is  our  inner  and 
secret  enemies  that  are  most  besetting.  It  is  not  the 
angry  roar  of  the  tempest  that  threatens,  but  the  still, 
hidden  leak.  But  deliverance  from  both  will  come ! 
Yea,  we  may  exclaim,  not  God  be  merciful,  but  God  is 
merciful ! " 

"  I  believe  it !     How  glorious  ! " 

"  I  rejoice  that  thou  dost  not  doubt.  But  go  now  and 
rest,  while  I  seek  the  master  of  the  ship." 

"  Go,  for  God  is  with  thee ! " 

With  much  effort  Serenus  lifted  the  cover  of  a  small 
hatchway,  and  passed  out  upon  the  dark,  storm-swept 
deck.  The  violent  pitching,  noise,  and  blackness  were 
forbidding;  and  had  he  not  been  free  from  the  bondage 
of  appearances,  he  would  have  quailed  at  the  prospect. 
At  length  he  found  Vivian,  who  was  much  surprised. 

"  How  earnest  thou  here  ?  "  said  the  master.  But  be- 
fore Serenus  had  time  to  answer,  he  continued, — 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE    UNSEEN  285 

"But  now  I  am  minded  of  thy  purpose  to  see  me 
again.  Thou  art  welcome,  and  I  count  thee  to  be  dis- 
creet ;  but  before  I  hearken  to  thy  message,  I  must  tell 
thee  that  unless  a  miracle  take  place,  the  Salapiae  will 
go  down,  and  all  on  board  perish!" 

Serenus  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  Vivian  con- 
tinued,— 

"I  must  leave  thee  straightway,  until  once  more  I 
make  inquiry  concerning  the  water  in  the  hold !  But 
soon  I  will  return." 

He  left  Serenus  clinging  to  one  of  the  smaller  masts, 
and  slowly  made  his  way  to  the  speaking-tube  to  get 
another  report.  In  response  to  his  signal,  hollow  tones 
full  of  direful  prophecy  came  up, — 

" Three  cubita  full!" 

The  pumps  were  doing  their  utmost,  and  the  master 
fully  realized  that  the  contest  was  hopeless.  But  he 
was  brave. 

Heroes  are  not  the  exclusive  product  of  any  one  time, 
race,  or  religion. 

He  said  nothing  to  the  crew  of  the  increasing  peril, 
but  with  cheerful  tones  encouraged  their  efforts.  Skil- 
fully guiding  his  course  to  the  place  where  Serenus  was 
waiting,  he  said, — 

"O  Hebrew!  though  thou  art  young,  I  am  persuaded 
of  thy  wisdom.  Speak  now,  and  I  will  listen  to  thy 
message." 

The  darkness  was  so  dense  that  neither  could  behold 
more  than  the  dim  outlines  of  the  other's  form,  and  the 
noise  made  conversation  impossible  except  as  their 
faces  were  almost  together.  Each  put  his  hand  upon 


286  VICTOR  SERENUS 

the  shoulder  of  the  other,  while  they  steadied  themselves 
by  the  mast.  But  both  were  as  serene  as  if  they  were 
basking  in  the  summer  sunshine  upon  a  favored  shore. 

"The  Salapiae  will  be  lost,  but  every  soul  on  board 
will  be  safely  landed  in  Tarsus !  "  said  Serenus. 

"Thou  speakest  in  no  uncertain  tone,  O  wise  young 
Hebrew !  Whence  hast  thou  this  knowledge  ? " 

"O  noble  and  brave  Roman!  only  by  the  fulfilment 
of  my  prophecy  can  its  truth  be  proven  to  thee.  I  ask 
thee  not  to  believe,  and  am  well  persuaded  that  thou 
wilt  abate  no  effort  for  salvation  because  of  my  assu- 
rance. Nay,  I  would  have  thee  use  the  utmost  dili- 
gence; for  man  must  employ  all  the  means,  and  fully 
co-operate  with  God  in  working  out  his  own  salvation." 

"  Hast  thou  inquired  of  the  God  of  the  Hebrews  and 
received  this  favoring  answer  from  him  ?  " 

"  My  vision  of  the  future  cometh  not  from  the  special 
God  of  any  race  or  tribe,  but  through  the  power  which 
the  universal  Divine  Spirit,  that  ruleth  the  world  and  all 
its  elements,  hath  conferred  upon  man  to  read  and  inter- 
pret his  laws." 

Vivian,  though  a  man  of  much  worldly  wisdom,  but 
dimly  understood  the  meaning  of  Serenus,  but  yet  deeply 
felt  the  superiority  of  the  man  who  stood  face  to  face 
with  him.  There  was  a  positive  spiritual  influence  and 
hope  which  came  from  contact  with  the  young  man  which 
he  could  not  divine. 

"Wilt  thou  not  acquaint  me  more  fully  of  thy  power? 
How  canst  thou  read  the  fate  of  the  Salapise,  and  that 
none  on  board  of  her  shall  perish,  except  that  thy  God 
hath  given  thee  some  visible  token  ?  And  if  thou  hast 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE   UNSEEN  287 

received  a  sign,  surely  thou  mayst  show  it  me  and  reveal 
its  significance.  I  would  fain  believe  it,  yet  how  can  I 
be  assured  ? " 

"Thou  art  well  skilled  in  the  sailing  of  ships,  and  I 
will  not  question  thy  wisdom  in  thine  own  calling;  but 
in  a  way  of  which  I  cannot  tell  thee,  and  which  thou 
thinkest  not  of,  every  soul  on  board  will  come  safely 
to  Tarsus ! " 

"The  gods  grant  that  thy  words  may  come  to  pass, 
but  thou  hast  offered  me  no  sign.  I  would  that  I  had 
inquired  of  the  oracle  in  the  great  temple  of  the  Sala- 
minian  Jupiter.  But  thou  dost  count  thy  God  greater 
than  Jupiter?  " 

"Yea,  he  is  the  God  above  all  gods!  He  is  the  All 
in  All!  His  laws  and  methods  are  orderly  and  uni- 
versal! His  wisdom  and  love  are  already  perfect,  and 
we  need  not  importune  him  to  change  his  plans.  We 
approach  him,  not  by  vain  oblation  or  libation,  but  by 
communion  and  oneness  of  spirit.  We  lift  ourselves  into 
harmony  with  his  beneficent  and  eternal  order.  Even 
the  laws  which  produce  wind  and  wave  are  good,  but  to 
narrow  and  perverted  human  vision  they  often  appear 
evil." 

"  But  surely  thou  wilt  tell  me  more  of  thy  prophecy, 
and  by  what  means  thou  didst  receive  the  message  ?  " 

"  Behold  I  was  about  to  acquaint  thee  with  that ! 
The  divine  wisdom  hath  placed  within  the  nature  of 
all  men  certain  prophetic  spiritual  instincts,  but  they 
are  yet  latent,  except  in  a  few  souls  who  have  been 
inwardly  illumined.  Favored  in  my  lot  and  experience, 
some  of  this  inner  clear-sightedness  hath  come  to  me. 


288  VICTOR  SERENUS 

At  certain  times  and  seasons  it  enableth  me  to  behold 
that  which  is  commonly  invisible,  and  also,  not  only 
to  foretell  some  events  of  the  future,  but  verily  to 
see  them.  This  power  cometh  not  by  any  special  and 
miraculous  bestowment,  but  through  an  inward  unfold- 
ing, and  an  understanding  of  the  law  of  inspiration. 
Thou  hast  the  same  power  in  thyself,  but  it  hath  not 
yet  been  awakened.  Thou  wouldst  know  how  I,  or 
rather  the  spirit  that  is  within  me,  is  assured  of  our 
safety!  I  answer,  that  though  it  hath  not  yet  come  to 
pass,  yet  in  my  retiracy  this  night  /  have  seen  every  one 
safe  in  Tarsus  /  "  * 

The  master  of  the  Salapiae  was  attentive  and  inter- 
ested, but  not  convinced.  But  the  earnest  sincerity 
and  indefinable  charm  of  the  young  man's  presence 
almost  persuaded  him  against  his  will. 

The  Roman  and  Hebrew  stood  in  brotherly  embrace 
amidst  the  roar  and  darkness,  but  one  represented  the 
seen  and  sensuous,  and  the  other  the  unseen  and  real. 
Man,  to  the  first,  was  only  a  visible  and  animated 
form;  to  the  second,  he  was  a  spiritual  entity,  even 
though  now  possessing  material  form  and  expression. 
To  one,  when  he  sank  beneath  the  waves,  it  was  his 
end;  to  the  other,  the  man  was  intact.  To  the  latter, 
the  sinking,  at  the  worst,  could  be  but  an  unmoral  in- 
cident; not  an  evil,  as  that  term  conveys  ethical  quality. 
Drowning  could  neither  take  away  from,  nor  add  to,  the 

1  If  Paul,  under  similar  circumstances,  was  able  to  foretell  the  result  of 
a  shipwreck,  as  related  in  the  Biblical  narrative,  why  should  not  an  equally 
gifted  and  illumined  soul  in  like  manner  be  clear-sighted  ?  The  higher  per- 
ception in  man  is  an  orderly  attainment  rather  than  an  unearned  supernatu- 
ral bestowment. 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE   UNSEEN  289 

real  man  or  his  character.  The  loss  of  one  mode  of 
expression  does  not  touch  the  ego. 

"What  counsel  dost  thou  offer  me?  "  inquired  Vivian. 

"In  the  conduct  of  the  ship,  none!  Abate  not  one 
jot  of  the  labor  at  the  pumps,  and  diligently  employ 
all  thy  skill  and  watchfulness  in  the  use  of  other  means 
which  thou  deemest  wise.  My  converse  with  thee  is 
that  of  man  and  brother,  but  as  master  of  the  Salapiae 
none  can  question  thee." 

"  Behold  thou  hast  great  charity  and  a  loving  spirit ! " 
exclaimed  Vivian.  "  I  have  heard  many  of  thy  race 
revile  us  as  outcasts  and  idolaters,  while  they  called 
themselves  the  chosen  of  heaven." 

"Thou  art  my  brother,  even  though  thou  understand- 
est  not  my  faith,  and  we  are  all  sons  of  the  Most  High 
God." 

"Verily  such  a  saying  mine  ears  never  before  have 
heard !  Thou  dost  me  too  much  honor !  With  all  my 
diligence  to  please  the  gods,  I  have  always  counted 
myself  as  a  man  subject  to  error  and  passion!" 

"  While  thou  hast  made  many  mistakes,  and  hast  much 
to  learn,  thou  art  inmostly  a  child  of  Goodness;  and 
as  thou  dost  come  to  thy  veritable  self,  thou  wilt  dis- 
cover thine  own  likeness  to  the  Divine  Father ! " 

"Surely  thou  art  more  than  a  Hebrew,  for  thy  reli- 
gion is  noble  !  Deeply  hast  thou  persuaded  me !  " 

"Think  no  more  of  thyself  as  a  man  who  is  in  sub- 
jection to  evil;  for  it  hath  been  truly  written,  that  'as 
a  man  thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he.'  The  thought  of 
one  concerning  himself  fills  and  shapes  his  inner  life. 
Feel  thyself  to  be  a  son  of  God,  and  such  a  conscious- 


2QO  VICTOR  SERENUS 

ness  will  renew  and  purify  thy  soul.  Behold,  the  world 
knoweth  not  this  law!  The  old  self  with  its  deeds 
will  drop  away,  while  the  new  man  will  be  formed 
within,  and  his  outward  works  will  answer  to  the  inner 
thought-ideal.  Thus  the  visible  expression  will  be  the 
index  of  the  pattern  that  is  held  in  the  heart ! " 

"I  marvel  at  such  a  doctrine,  and  yet  feel  its  truth. 
Hath  any  man  yet  filled  to  the  full  the  divine  measure 
of  which  thou  hast  spoken  ?  " 

"Yea,  there  hath  been  a  Man  of  Nazareth,  of  Judea, 
born  a  Hebrew,  who  recognized  the  perfect  human 
divinity.  He  is  the  Ideal,  not  only  for  his  own  nation, 
but  for  all  the  world,  whether  Greek,  Roman,  Jew,  bar- 
barian, or  Scythian!  He  knew  the  inmost  oneness  of 
God  and  man,  because  he  knew  himself  as  he  was." 

"  Where  is  he  now  ?     How  I  would  like  to  see  him !  " 

"Because  he  was  so  large  in  his  love,  he  was  hated 
and  crucified  by  his  own  people,  —  my  people,  —  and 
passed  into  the  unseen." 

In  answer  to  many  more  questions,  Serenus  then  gave 
Vivian  a  brief  account  of  Jesus,  the  Christ,  his  mission, 
and  the  quality  of  his  life.  The  twain,  amid  the  hissing 
of  the  elements  and  the  groaning  of  the  pumps,  stood 
in  the  thick  darkness,  with  their  arms  affectionately 
around  each  other  in  brotherly  communion. 

"Thou  hast  touched  me  deeply,"  said  Vivian.  "I  love 
thy  spirit,  and  rejoice  that  we  have  met!  I  thank  thee 
that  thou  hast  brought  me  a  knowledge  of  the  Ideal,  — 
the  Nazarene ;  so  noble,  so  large,  and  so  beyond  race 
and  outward  condition  !  He  will  fill  an  uninterpreted 
longing  of  my  whole  life.  I  shall  think  of  him  even 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE   UNSEEN  2QI 

during  our  peril.  Behold  thou  hast  made  me  feel  that 
there  is  something  in  us,  of  which  the  tempest,  at  its 
worst,  cannot  rob  us.  Would  that  I  could  have  seen 
the  Ideal!" 

"Thou  mayst  do  even  more,  for  thou  canst  feel  his 
spirit  within  thee !  " 

"  I  have  it,  and  it  shall  possess  me !  " 

Vivian  expressed  a  tender  and  earnest  thankfulness, 
and  they  parted  long  after  midnight. 

The  next  morning  brought  no  occasion  for  hope.  The 
water  in  the  hold  steadily  increased,  and  the  gale  showed 
little  abatement.  In  every  direction  there  was  nothing 
but  an  endless  gray  waste  of  boiling  waves,  which 
seemed  hungry  and  impatient  to  swallow  up  the  stricken 
ship.  The  weary  hours  of  the  second  day  dragged  along 
with  interminable  slowness,  and  the  impenetrable  gloom 
of  outward  conditions  had  no  ray  to  lighten  it.  The 
strain  and  fatigue  brought  such  a  torpor  of  stolid  indif- 
ference upon  the  crew,  that  to  some  death  would  have 
been  almost  welcome.  Desperate  but  wholly  unsuccess- 
ful attempts  were  made  to  draw  down  some  remnants  of 
sail  upon  the  outside  to  lessen  the  inflow,  but  the  water 
in  the  hold  gained  with  fateful  certainty. 

As  the  day  finally  wore  away,  the  force  of  the  tempest 
slowly  lessened,  making  their  progress  less  rapid.  Even 
at  the  present  rate,  it  would  be  impossible  to  reach 
Tarsus  before  the  middle  of  the  following  day,  and  a 
care.ful  survey  made  it  a  matter  of  great  doubt  whether 
or  not  the  Salapiae  could  float  until  the  next  daybreak. 

The  master  again  called  Serenus  upon  deck,  giving 
him  an  affectionate  greeting. 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


"O  my  brother!  unless  peradventure  a  miracle  be 
wrought,  I  can  discern  no  manner  of  means  for  the  ful- 
filment of  thy  prophecy  !  I  wot  not  how  the  Salapiae  in 
any  wise  can  reach  the  desired  haven.  But  while  I  can- 
not descry  the  end  of  thy  good  message,  I  have  joy  in 
thinking  of  the  Ideal,  and  of  feeling  an  earnest  of  the 
same  spirit  within." 

"I  rejoice  with  thee  that  thou  dost  recognize  the 
living  Witness  !  " 

"  But  O  most  worthy  brother  and  prophet  !  peradventure 
we  be  saved  from  this  present  peril,  some  other  experi- 
ience  will  yet  bring  us  to  our  end.  How  sayest  thou  ?  " 

"There  is  no  end!  If  my  prophecy  prove  vain,  and  we 
sink  in  the  depths  of  the  sea,  behold  that  spirit  which  is 
within  us,  and  which  we  are,  hath  continuance." 

"  It  seemeth  to  be  a  great  mystery  !  " 

"  Behold  thou  hast  a  body,  but  art  not  body  !  Thou  art 
spirit  even  now.  If  thy  seen  form  dissolve,  thou  wilt  still 
live,  even  though  in  the  invisible  !  Thou  wilt  see,  but 
not  with  these  eyes  ;  thou  wilt  hear  and  feel,  but  not  with 
these  members;  yea,  thou  wilt  think  and  know  and 
love!" 

"  I  have  heard  of  shades  beyond  the  Styx,  but  counted 
them  to  be  only  shadows.  Dost  thou  affirm  that  they 
are  verily  ourselves  ?  " 

"Yea!  of  a  surety!  When  thou  goest  out  of  thy  tent 
or  house,  art  thou  not  the  same?  Behold  the  unseen 
country  is  all  about  us,  and  peopled  with  those  who  have 
laid  off  the  flesh.  As  our  garments  wax  old  and  are  laid 
aside  for  those  more  befitting,  so  are  we  clothed  with 
such  bodies  as  belong  to  the  place  of  our  sojourn." 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE   UNSEEN  293 

"Unto  what  canst  thou  liken  them?  " 

"  Our  habitations  beyond  the  Styx,  as  thou  sayest, 
are  such  as  we  are  now  building  by  our  thoughts,  de- 
sires, and  loves.  Even  though  unseen,  we  are  uprearing 
and  putting  them  on  day  by  day." 

"In  what  manner  art  thou  persuaded  of  these  things  ?;> 

"The  Voice  within  giveth  its  testimony  concerning 
them,  and  moreover,  those  that  are  yonder  have  sent 
back  messages.  It  cometh  to  pass  also  that  certain 
who  are  still  with  us  have  their  inner  sight  opened,  so 
that  those  who  are  invisible  become  manifest.  If  thou 
wouldst  know  of  that  whereof  I  speak,  open  thy  soul  and 
become  like  a  little  child,  and  the  silent  voice  within 
will  yield  some  growing  assurance." 

"I  believe  that  I  already  hear  its  still,  sweet  utter- 
ance !  Unto  this  day  it  hath  been  asleep,  but  thou  hast 
aroused  it,  and  it  will  live!" 

"Thou  givest  good  tidings!  behold  the  spirit  of  the 
Christ — the  son  of  God  —  in  thee  is  coming  into  mani- 
festation !  " 

"  O  thou  greater  than  a  Hebrew !  thou  hast  discovered 
me  to  myself.  I  joyfully  accept  thy  teaching  and  proph- 
ecy, for  of  a  truth  thou  hast  a  wisdom  beyond  that  of 
earth!  " 

The  master  of  the  Salapiaa  always  had  been  brave  and 
manly,  but  now  there  was  a  light  in  his  eye  and  a  joy  in 
his  heart  which  was  unwonted,  even  when  no  peril  threat- 
ened. It  was  not  so  much  the  words  which  Serenus  had 
spoken,  but  the  spirit  and  love  which  filled  him,  and 
which  he  radiated,  that  had  taken  hold  of  the  Roman. 

The  gloom  of  another  night  was  gathering,  and  the 


294  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Salapiae  was  visibly  deeper  in  the  sea.  But  as  the 
blackness  closed  around  the  sinking  ship,  there  was  no 
more  joyful  soul  on  board  than  Vivian.  Amidst  all  the 
stress  and  danger  his  greatest  wonder  was  himself. 

Down,  and  still  lower  down,  the  helpless  wreck  heaved 
and  plunged  heavily  during  the  second  night.  Would 
daylight  ever  come? 


At  last  the  morning  dawned,  and  they  were  still  afloat. 
The  storm  had  ceased,  and  the  sun  arose  clear  and  bright 
from  the  eastern  sea.  The  wind  which  had  driven  them 
so  strongly  towards  Tarsus  had  entirely  died  away,  and 
a  light  breeze  was  coming  from  the  opposite  direction. 
They  were  able  to  hoist  more  sail,  but  being  obliged 
to  tack,  the  progress  of  the  water-logged  ship  became 
hardly  perceptible. 

Tarsus  was  now  not  very  distant,  but  every  soul  on 
board  clearly  saw  that  the  Salapiae  never  could  reach 
the  wished-for  port.  Slowly,  but  with  grim  certainty, 
the  water  in  the  hold  deepened,  and  direful  Fate,  with 
cruel  footsteps,  was  silently  approaching. 

The  faith  of  Serenus  and  Amabel  never  wavered. 
Even  that  of  Vivian  was  firm  and  confident.  But  he 
neglected  no  feasible  effort  that  belonged  to  his  calling, 
and  made  all  possible  preparations  for  what  seemed  to 
be  immediately  impending.  The  ship's  boats  had  been 
swept  away  during  the  first  assault  of  the  storm,  but  with 
all  diligence  two  rafts  had  been  hurriedly  constructed 
of  such  materials  as  were  at  hand,  and  some  provisions 
and  gurglets  of  water  and  wine  lashed  to  them.  But  the 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE    UNSEEN  295 

waves  were  still  high,  and  would  wash  over  them  if  they 
were  launched. 

While  there  were  no  cries  of  confusion,  as  upon  the 
first  day  of  the  storm,  petitions  were  being  offered,  and 
vows  made  in  various  tongues  to  gods  of  different  names. 

The  human  mind  at  its  greatest  can  grasp  but  an 
infinitesimal  fraction  of  the  Infinite,  but  it  always  has  a 
deific  ideal  which  fills  its  utmost  capacity.  No  two  ever 
possess  quite  the  same,  but  to  the  individual  it  is  the 
highest,  and  all  there  is.  To  it  he  must  cry,  and  upon 
it  he  must  stay  himself,  for  he  cannot  go  beyond. 

But  the  Infinite  dwells  in  every  man's  ideal,  however 
low.  It  is  the  link,  unseen  and  perchance  crude, 
which  draws  and  binds  him  to  the  Eternal  Goodness. 
Let  us  respect  the  supreme  pattern  of  every  human 
brother,  though  he  be  ignorant,  simple,  theologically 
untaught,  or  even  vile.  For  him  it  must  stand  until  a 
greater  and  purer  takes  its  place.  The  "Father's 
House,"  even  though  provisional  and  unshapely,  is  hid- 
den within  the  deep  mists  of  every  human  soul. 

But  look!  The  city  of  Tarsus,  with  its  white  roofs 
and  gilded  towers,  is  now  dimly  visible  in  the  far 
distance. 


The  day  was  perfect.  As  if  in  repentance  of  her 
past  angry  mood,  Nature  arrayed  herself  in  her  most 
beautiful  robes.  The  air  was  of  crystalline  clearness, 
and  not  a  cloud  specked  the  blue  azure  above.  During 
the  morning  hours  the  sea  gradually  calmed  down,  and 
the  reflected  sunlight  gleamed  and  danced  upon  the  crest 


296  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  every  billow  with  sparkling  brilliancy.  From  the 
Salapiae  the  vast  expanse  seemed  to  be  the  embodiment 
of  Treachery  outwardly  dressed  in  living  Beauty.  With 
cruel  spirit,  but  seductive  charm,  it  was  stealthily  wait- 
ing to  take  mortals  into  its  cold  embrace  forever. 

The  ship  could  not  possibly  last  until  midday.  The 
adverse  breeze  freshened,  and  her  labored  progress  almost 
ceased. 

But  look  again  !  A  speck  appears  upon  the  water  near 
Tarsus,  and  it  slowly,  oh,  how  slowly,  grows  larger. 
It  was  described  as  some  kind  of  a  ship  under  full 
sail,  and  under  the  favoring  breeze  it  was  soon  evi- 
dent that  her  approach  was  rapid.  She  was  a  fast 
sailer,  and  the  style  of  her  rigging  was  that  of  a  pleas- 
ure bireme  rather  than  a  merchantman.  The  freshening 
breeze  rendered  her  oars  unnecessary.  Every  one  except 
those  at  the  pumps  strained  his  eyes  in  that  direction. 

Hope  kindled  in  every  breast,  and  hearts  beat  quickly. 

"  Oh,  welcome,  pure-ey'd  Faith,  white-handed  Hope, 
Thou  hovering  angel,  girt  with  golden  wings!" 

The  strange  craft  was  of  graceful  model,  and  with 
every  sail  set  her  sharp  prow  cut  the  waves  as  she  moved 
like  a  graceful  bird  in  rapid  flight;  and  yet  how  slowly 
the  distance  seemed  to  diminish !  But  new  hope  was 
new  life!  The  men  at  the  pumps  received  an  endow- 
ment of  herculean  strength.  Signals  of  distress  were 
hoisted  and  responded  to,  and  the  beautiful  ship  steered 
directly  for  them. 

The  Salapiae  was  now  so  low  that  she  might  go  down 
at  any  moment.  It  was  like  a  race  in  the  games  of 


ON  THE    VERGE   OF  THE    UNSEEN  297 

Olympia,  where  the  runners  were  full  abreast  as  they 
neared  the  goal. 

Now  the  strange  sea-bird  flies  rapidly !  See !  she  is 
rounding  and  coming  alongside  !  What  a  beautiful  spec- 
tacle, and  how  graceful  her  approach  !  She  is  built  for 
pleasure  and  racing. 

The  rail  and  trimmings  about  her  deck  were  brilliant 
with  burnished  metal,  and  her  prow  was  surmounted 
with  the  graceful  bronze  statue  of  a  Tarsian  goddess. 
Upon  her  peak  floated  a  silvery  purple  banner,  heavily 
wrought  with  golden  figures,  representing  various  em- 
blems and  symbols  in  the  Temple  of  Apollo.  All  her 
splendid  appointments  indicated  that  she  must  be  owned 
by  some  one  of  patrician  rank  and  great  wealth.  She 
came  near.  The  name  of  the  pleasure  ship  was  dis- 
cerned as  the  Nereid. 

"We  will  save  you  !  "  cried  the  master  in  a  loud  voice. 
"Behold  our  boats  !  They  will  take  off  every  one  !  " 

Before  Vivian  had  time  to  express  his  gratitude,  the 
small  boats  were  already  lowered,  and  in  a  short  time 
every  one  on  the  Salapiae  was  safely  transferred  to  the 
gayly  decked  bireme.  All  were  most  hospitably  received, 
and  their  necessities  kindly  ministered  unto. 

Vivian  told  the  commander  of  himself,  and  of  the 
Salapiae,  and  made  known  Serenus  and  Amabel  as  his 
honored  friends.  The  master  of  the  pleasure  ship  then 
indicated  his  desire  to  present  them  to  the  owner,  whom 
he  said  was  a  Roman  of  noble  family,  and  Vice  Legate 
of  Tarsus.  They  had  chosen  the  fine  morning  for  a 
pleasure  excursion. 

Descending  a  short  flight  of  stairs,  Vivian,   Serenus, 


298  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  Amabel  were  ushered  into  a  cabin  of  goodly  size, 
at  the  farther  end  of  which  were  two  men  sitting  at  a 
table,  evidently  engaged  in  playing  some  kind  of  a 
friendly  game.  One  was  tall  and  straight,  with  long 
black  hair,  heavy  eyebrows  and  lashes,  and  full  beard, 
of  dignified  bearing,  and  features  of  the  Roman  cast. 
The  other  was  rather  slight  and  effeminate  in  personal 
appearance,  with  wavy  brown  hair,  dark  blue  eyes,  lux- 
urious in  costume,  and  an  air  of  polish  and  refinement. 
The  first  was  the  Roman,  Marcius,  and  the  other 
Leander  the  Greek.1  After  a  brief  exchange  of  polite 
greetings  and  congratulations,  they  all  ascended  to  the 
deck  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  the  Salapiae.  They  were 
none  too  soon ;  for  in  a  moment,  with  a  great  surge,  she 
was  received  into  the  full  embrace  of  the  hungry  sea,  the 
billows  closing  over  her  forever. 

1  Both  introduced  in  the  third  chapter. 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY  299 


CHAPTER  XXV 

A   PSYCHICAL   JOURNEY 

"  How  small  of  all  that  human  hearts  endure, 
That  part  which  laws  or  kings  can  cause  or  cure ! 
Still  to  ourselves  in  every  place  consigned, 
Our  own  felicity  we  make  or  find. 
With  secret  course,  which  no  loud  storms  annoy, 
Glides  the  smooth  current  of  an  inner  joy." 

SAULUS  and  Amoz  advancing  into  the  cave  found  it 
dry  and  capacious,  and  also  well  lighted  for  some  dis- 
tance from  the  entrance.  A  long-continued  cleft  upward 
in  the  face  of  the  rock  freely  admitted  the  outer  air  and 
daylight,  and  also  sunlight  at  certain  hours.  The  walls 
on  either  side  gave  evidence  of  previous  human  habita- 
tion, being  marked  with  various  inscriptions,  symbolic 
characters,  and  drawings.  In  the  deeper  recesses  the 
darkness  increased,  and  various  intricate  passage-ways 
opened  into  curious  ramifications  and  apartments  of  in- 
definite extent.  The  temperature  was  comfortable,  and 
the  atmosphere  pleasant. 

"Behold  a  favored  habitation  already  prepared  for 
us!"  said  Amoz.  "The  wisdom  of  the  Voice  is  now 
made  manifest ! " 

"  Yea,  of  a  surety  it  hath  guided  us  to  this  place,  and 
here  we  will  abide !  " 

Amoz  returned  for  the  camel,  and  soon  led  him  to  the 


300  VICTOR  SERENUS 

entrance,  where  he  was  unladen,  and  after  a  little  delay 
a  convenient  place  in  the  cave  was  selected  for  him. 
Before  the  shades  of  evening  fell  everything  was  well 
arranged  for  a  stay  of  indefinite  length. 

The  silence  and  seclusion  seemed  delightful,  and  even 
paradisaical  to  the  restless  and  depressed  soul  of  Saulus. 
The  world,  with  its  unending  strifes  and  jealousies,  its 
warring  creeds  and  religious  persecutions,  and  all  the 
surge  and  sweat  of  human  passion,  was  far  away. 

Often,  above  all  things,  man  needs  a  face-to-face  in- 
terview with  his  real  self,  in  order  that  he  may  inter- 
pret the  hidden  springs  of  his  own  being,  sound  the 
intricate  deeps  of  his  primal  nature,  study  ideals,  and 
survey  foundations.  A  life  devoted  entirely  to  the  Ob- 
jective, even  if  its  ends  be  worthy,  lacks  an  understand- 
ing of  those  subjective  mental  and  spiritual  reservoirs 
which  is  indispensable  to  harmonious  development. 

No  one  can  avoid  companionship.  But  objective  per- 
sonalities supply  but  a  small  part  of  the  innate  craving 
for  intimate  good  cheer  and  friendliness.  Whether  or 
not  consciously  chosen,  the  ego  must  have  a  supremely 
close  communion  with  its  own  thought-forms, — its  ver- 
itable creations.  As  a  duplicate  selfhood  it  is  firmly 
linked  to  them.  If  man  must  carry  this  secondary  man 
with  him,  what  sort  of  a  character  shall  he  be?  His 
fellow-men,  with  whom  he  daily  mingles,  though  seem- 
ingly near,  are  infinitely  distant  when  compared  with 
his  own  self-made  mental  environment,  —  his  real  world. 

Every  man  is  like  an  artist  who  is  sentenced  to  dwell 
with  his  own  pictures,  so  hung  that  they  continually 
stare  him  in  the  face.  But  especially  when  from  choice 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY  30! 

or  necessity  one  for  a  season  turns  aside  from  his  ac- 
customed Objective,  he  finds  intimate  relationship  with 
his  subjective  structures  of  the  past.  He  is  forced  to 
a  careful  inspection  of  his  own  stored-up  images,  and  it 
is  woeful  if  they  frown  upon  him.  All  the  hates,  envies, 
and  antagonisms  that  he  has  ever  projected  are  turned 
in  upon  himself.  They  surround  and  threaten  him,  and 
their  growls  are  disquieting.  He  thought  they  had  been 
sent  away,  but  their  accumulated  recoil  was  only  post- 
poned. 

On  the  other  hand,  all  the  loves,  harmonies,  and  hopes 
that  have  been  sent  out,  now  possibly  forgotten,  rise  up 
out  of  the  misty  deep  and  send  back  a  smile,  and  re- 
turn affection  with  added  interest.  They  are  lived  over 

again. 

"  Music,  when  soft  voices  die, 
Vibrates  in  the  memory." 

Heavens  and  hells  are  stored  up  in  the  chambers  of 
the  soul,  and  if  perchance  diversion  for  a  time  may 
seem  to  bury  them,  their  resurrection  and  visitation 
surely  follow  in  due  course. 

But  as  Saulus  looked  in  upon  himself,  he  found  that 
he  could  increasingly  choose  and  control  those  things 
that  should  mentally  dwell  with  him.  With  all  his 
cruel  impetuosity  of  the  past,  his  life  had  not  been 
devoid  of  good  thoughts  and  deeds,  and  these  he  strug- 
gled to  keep  in  review.  But  vastly  greater  than  all  else, 
when  the  dark  Past  marshalled  itself  before  him,  he 
turned  to  the  Present  God.  How  unlike  was  the  God 
he  found  in  Horeb  to  the  tribal  Deity  he  had  served  in 
the  Holy  City!  The  difference  was  in  his  own  vision. 


302  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Often  he  would  sit  for  hours  with  eyes  closed  and 
body  relaxed,  in  silent  communion  with  the  felt  Pres- 
ence. At  such  times  he  realized  a  positive  influx  of 
sweetness  and  strength  from  the  Universal,  which 
thrilled  him  in  mind  and  body. 

The  crust  of  his  former  hardness  was  breaking  up,  and 
his  soul  was  growing  childlike  and  plastic.  The  rigid 
dogmatism  and  intolerance  in  him,  which  for  so  long  had 
been  impenetrable  to  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  were  dissolv- 
ing, and  love  and  wisdom  were  opened  up,  as  water  from 
a  fountain  whose  seal  had  been  newly  unloosed. 

Saulus  marvelled  as  much  at  the  seeming  change  in 
his  God  as  in  the  transformation  in  himself.  That 
Deity  who  had  rejoiced  in  persecution,  and  been  angry 
and  jealous,  was  now  the  Author  of  love,  peace,  and 
concord.  It  was  clear  that  his  former  concept  of  God 
had  been  but  a  telescopic  likeness  of  himself. 

The  cave  at  Horeb  proved  to  be  a  most  agreeable 
place  of  abode,  and  Saulus  found  in  his  seclusion  some 
of  the  happiest  days  of  his  life.  Though  the  evening 
experiences  of  weakness  and  trembling  seemed  to  have 
become  a  fixed  habit,  and  scars  and  strains  in  soul  and 
body  were  present  as  the  legacy  of  the  past,  there  was  a 
gradual  gain  of  vigor.  The  expanding  soul  was  coming 
into  a  knowledge  of  its  intrinsic  divinity  and  oneness 
with  the  Father,  and  this  reflected  and  expressed  a  grow- 
ing wholeness. 

Amoz,  with  the  camel,  made  some  explorations  in  the 
adjacent  region;  and  about  two  hours  distant,  at  a  cross- 
ing of  some  of  the  more  important  paths,  he  found  a 
small  station  of  a  few  huts,  where  supplies  could  be 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOUR NE Y  303 

replenished,  and  occasional  communication  had  with  the 
outside  world. 

But  what  was  the  world  of  the  past  to  Saulus?  It 
seemed  as  if  he  was  severed  from  everything  that  had 
gone  before,  and  had  built  a  new  world  for  himself. 
His  own  transformation  was  vastly  greater  than  the 
change  from  the  Holy  City  to  the  cave.  But  he  had  no 
intention  of  becoming  a  hermit.  He  would,  for  a  time, 
gather  his  resources,  and  firmly  knit  the  sinews  of  his 
soul,  in  preparation  for  future  conquests  for  the  truth 
among  men.  The  mistakes  and  enmities  of  the  past  he 
would  bury  beneath  a  mountain  of  love  and  good-will 
which  should  brighten  the  world. 

But  what  of  past  personal  ties  and  obligations?  First 
of  all,  what  of  little  Cassia?  What  of  his  ardent  affec- 
tion and  faithful  promises  to  her?  Was  his  love,  which 
formerly  was  so  consuming,  yet  alive  and  burning 
brightly?  Did  she  stand  out  in  lifelike  proportions  in 
his  new  world,  or  had  her  image  largely  faded  out  of  his 
heart?  What  had  she  heard  of  him?  and  what  would 
she  think? 

There  were  hours  when  these  and  similar  questions 
thrust  themselves  upon  Saulus  with  terrible  force.  The 
intense  and  all-absorbing  love  of  Cassia,  her  unbounded 
confidence  in  him,  and  his  former  rapt  devotion  to  her 
in  return,  stood  out  before  him  in  letters  of  fire. 

One  evening  his  period  of  suffering,  which  he  had  al- 
ready named  "a  stake  in  the  flesh,"  left  him  in  a  strange 
condition  of  unrest  and  uncertainty.  The  thought  of 
Cassia  filled  him  with  something  like  its  old-time  in- 
tensity. Questions  crowded  themselves  upon  him,  and 


304  VICTOR  SERENUS 

clamored  for  an  answer.  But  while  the  little  maiden 
of  the  Sheepmarket  still  occupied  a  very  warm  place 
in  his  heart,  with  it  was  mingled  a  peculiar  sense  of 
ever-widening  distance. 

He  put  himself  on  the  witness-stand,  — 

"Am  I  not  a  different  Saulus  from  he  who  aforetime 
loved  Cassia,  and  to  whom  she  was  so  devoted  ? " 

"Has  this  new  and  larger  love  driven  out  my  affec- 
tion, or  only  for  a  time  overshadowed  it?" 

"Is  she  really  fair  and  good,  or  did  I  deceive  my- 
self?" 

"Can  my  love  ever  again  be  so  all-absorbing?" 

Yes  and  no  were  both  echoed  as  responses  through 
the  troubled  mind  of  Saulus.  Opposing  emotions  mar- 
shalled themselves,  and  in  confusing  alternation  took 
possession  of  him.  For  a  little  time  he  forgot  the  cave 
and  all  its  associations  in  the  fierce  play  of  the  con- 
tending forces. 

But  as  the  hours  of  the  eventful  evening  wore  away, 
the  thought  of  Cassia  gained  the  ascendency.  The  very 
inscriptions  of  ancient  lore  upon  the  walls  seemed  to 
melt  into  her  name,  and  yield  a  fragrance  of  her  per- 
sonality. 

At  length  a  peculiar  quietude  slowly  settled  upon 
him,  but  he  felt  that  it  was  not  sleep.  An  unwonted 
lightness  of  soul  and  an  ethereal  consciousness  subtly 
crept  in  and  possessed  his  senses.  The  solid  walls  of 
the  cave  became  unsteady,  as  if  about  to  dissolve,  but 
there  was  such  a  charming  naturalness  in  the  change 
that  it  did  not  much  surprise  him. 

"Surely  I  am  not  dreaming!" 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY  305 

"Of  a  verity,  I  believe  that  I  am  out  of  the  body!" 

"What  lightness!  what  freedom!" 

Soon  he  found  himself  standing  beside  his  own  pros- 
trate form.  He  clearly  looked  down  upon  the  features 
—  his  features!  The  eyes  v/ere  lightly  closed,  the  lips 
slightly  parted,  and  the  breast  rose  and  fell  but  feebly 
with  the  movement  of  the  breath.  Otherwise  the  body 
was  still. 

"What  a  mystery!  " 

"Have  I  died?" 

"  No !  that  cannot  be,  for  I  —  no,  not  I,  for  I  am 
here  —  but  my  body  yonder  is  manifestly  animate.  How 
easily  /can  move!" 

All  feeling  of  strangeness  soon  wore  off.  Simply 
from  force  of  desire  he  rose  in  the  air  for  a  short  dis- 
tance, and  looked  down  upon  his  material  counterpart 
as  one  would  view  a  sleeping  comrade.  What  wonder- 
ful liberty  and  power  before  unknown  !  No  wings  were 
needed  to  move  through  the  air  as  he  might  choose. 

Amoz,  wide  awake,  was  silting  quietly  near  the  dim 
lamp,  but  saw  nothing  unusual,  believing  that  Saulus 
was  asleep.  Though  the  little  lamp  gave  but  a  feeble 
light,  the  cave,  to  Saulus,  seemed  filled  with  a  soft  but 
brilliant  illumination.  Considering  the  unwonted  pow- 
ers and  resources  at  his  command,  he  was  surprised  at 
his  own  lack  of  surprise.  His  senses  were  extended 
and  sublimated  to  a  wonderful  degree.  He  then  tried 
to  attract  the  attention  of  Amoz,  but  received  no  recog- 
nition. Not  to  be  baffled,  he  took  hold  of  him,  and 
finally  shouted  in  his  ear,  but  with  no  effect. 

Then    Saulus   began    to  wonder.     He  could  see  and 


306  VICTOR  SERENUS 

hear,  but  not  be  seen  or  heard.  He  moved  about  the 
cave  and  made  some  further  exploration,  and  found  that 
the  solid  walls  were  no  obstruction.  They  were  not 
solid.  He  could  not  only  see  through  them,  but  pass 
through. 

Then  the  thought  of  Cassia,  which  had  been  so  strongly 
present  before,  again  became  uppermost.  But  something 
of  the  same  uncertainty  within  himself  regarding  her 
still  remained. 

Realizing  that  desire  was  all  that  was  now  needed 
for  propulsion,  he  came  to  a  sudden  determination. 

"I  will  go  up  to  the  Holy  City,  and  once  more  be- 
hold Cassia,  and  all  the  things  that  I  left  behind." 

With  the  speed  of  thought,  he  left  his  own  body, 
Amoz,  and  the  cave  behind  him,  and  passed  out  from 
the  mountain  over  the  desert,  and  on,  on,  unerringly, 
by  the  power  of  simple  volition.  Space  and  time  were 
limitations  of  the  past. 

How  "cabbin'd,  cribb'd,  and  confined"  is  man  when 
weighted  down  with  the  little  load  of  dust  which  he 
has  picked  up,  moulded,  and  for  a  brief  season  carried 
about  !  To  him  chasms  of  time  and  space  are  wide 
and  unbridgable,  and  he  travels  his  little  round  with 
barriers  on  every  hand,  and  an  ever-present  sense  of 
servitude. 

But  it  is  not  the  grosser  body  per  se  which  is  so 
much  his  real  encumbrance  as  his  false  consciousness 
concerning  it.  He  is  steeped  in  a  prevailing  and  ever- 
ruling  materialism.  He  is  enslaved  because  he  is  igno- 
rant of  the  laws  of  his  own  independence.  He  not  only 
lives  in  the  thought  that  it  —  the  body — is  I,  but  also 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY  307 

bows  in  subjection  to  those  ever-varying  conditions, 
which  with  chameleon-like  accuracy  shadow  forth,  in 
exact  expression,  the  quality  of  his  past  composite  of 
thought.  The  consciousness  which  he  has  carelessly 
or  ignorantly  taken  on,  both  racially  and  individually, 
makes  it  his  tyrannical  master.  Sometimes,  smarting 
under  its  rule,  he  has  turned  and  denounced  it  as  bad, 
and  hence  a  gloomy  and  destructive  asceticism.  This 
is  no  less  a  mistake  than  a  garish  and  overwrought 
materialism. 

Everything  is  useful,  and  everything  good,  when  not 
misplaced.  Evil  is  therefore  not  made  up  of  the  real 
quality  of  things,  but  of  their  misplacement  in  the  mind 
of  man.  But  the  very  misplacement  is  educative.  •  So 
rapidly  as  the  human  mentality  through  evolutionary 
friction  is  rectified,  the  whole  cosmos  falls  into  line. 
Then  the  nothingness  of  evil,  as  an  entity,  will  be  made 
manifest.  At  present  it  is  the  name  of  a  condition  of 
relativity. 

Psychical  experiences,  unshackled  by  the  supposed 
necessary  limitations  of  body  in  past  ages,  having  been 
exceptional,  have  been  counted  as  supernatural,  abnor- 
mal, or  only  imaginary.  The  present  age,  with  its  sci- 
entific spirit,  its  broad  toleration,  and  its  recognition  of 
the  reign  of  law  in  every  realm,  increasingly  finds  that 
they  are  merely  subtle  links  or  aspects  of  the  Universal 
Order.  When  their  causation  is  traced,  their  normality 
observed,  and  their  utility  understood,  the  weirdness 
and  seeming  abnormity  which  have  been  put  upon  them 
will  be  removed  from  the  human  lens,  and  the  true  place 
and  use  of  uncommon  phenomena  become  evident.  So 


308  VICTOR  SERENUS 

long  as  they  are  regarded  as  strange,  uncanny,  or  in 
some  degree  unsound  in  scope  or  tendency,  they  are 
made  gratuitously  harmful  through  the  quality  of  thought 
concerning  them. 

With  desert  and  mountain  left  behind  in  his  flight, 
Saulus  found  himself  at  the  portal  of  the  Sheepgate  of 
the  Holy  City,  ready  to  enter.1 


The  city  lamps  flickered  here  and  there,  the  gates  were 
still  open,  and  the  throng  passing  in  and  out  as  was 
wont.  The  shifting  panorama  of  people  .  of  various 
races,  dialects,  and  costumes,  pouring  through  the  mas- 
sive arched  portal  with  the  general  din  and  confusion, 
were  all  so  familiar,  that  Saulus  almost  forgot  himself 
in  the  midst  of  an  environment  so  long  habituated.  He 
stood  for  a  few  moments  in  a  retired  corner,  striving  to 
recall  the  strange  thread  of  his  eventful  past,  and  then 
joined  the  current  which  was  entering  the  city.  His 
sense  of  ethereal  lightness  continued,  and  he  walked  by 
mere  easy  desire  without  effort.  Quickening  his  pace, 
he  accidentally  came  in  sharp  contact  with  a  Roman 
guard  who  had  charge  of  the  gate,  and  who  was  rapidly 

1  The  Biblical  narrative  repeatedly  confirms  the  supposition  that  Paul 
was,  by  nature  and  experience,  subject  to  trances  and  visions,  or,  as  trans- 
lated into  modern  parlance,  he  was  a  ''psychic.'1  It  is  evident  that  this, 
in  legitimate  form,  is  not  inconsistent  with  Apostolic  devotion  and  spiritual 
attainment. 

The  recorded  experience  of  Swedenborg's  departure  from  the  body  during 
a  trance,  and  witnessing  a  large  fire  in  Stockholm,  three  hundred  miles  dis- 
tant, may  be  mentioned  as  an  illustration  in  this  line,  amon^  thousands  with 
which  history  abounds.  While  in  Gottenburg,  on  the  iQth  of  June,  1759,  he 
saw  and  described  in  detail  the  progress  and  final  control  of  the  conflagra- 
tion, which  was  afterwards  completely  verified. 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY  309 

going  in  the  opposite  direction  to  order  it  closed  for  the 
night.  He  involuntarily  stopped  to  apologize,  but  was 
momentarily  surprised  to  find  himself  utterly  unrecog- 
nized. Then,  halting  for  a  moment,  he  surveyed  his 
own  bodily  proportions,  and  they  seemed  as  usual.  But 
anon  a  sense  of  his  newly  recognized  powers  flashed 
upon  him,  and  he  passed  on  without  further  hindrance 
or  obstacle. 

What  security  and  immunity! 

He  could  see  and  hear  everything,  but  did  not  attract 
attention,  and  could  not  if  he  would.  Following  the 
well-worn  thoroughfare,  he  soon  came  to  the  inn,  and 
turned  and  entered.  He  passed  by  Almon,  who  with 
some  companions  were  in  the  courtway,  and  continued 
to  the  family  apartment,  but  seeing  nothing  of  Cassia  he 
ascended  to  the  roof,  thinking  that  she  might  be  in  her 
wonted  corner.  The  moon  was  shining  brightly,  and 
every  well-known  object  stood  out  in  bold  relief,  but 
Cassia  was  not  there.  Then  he  bethought  himself  that 
she  was  presumably  in  her  own  apartment.  He  hurried 
down  the  stairway,  where  every  step  was  like  an  old 
acquaintance,  and  coming  to  the  entrance,  easily  passed 
in  without  any  movement  of  the  closed  door. 


Cassia  was  seated  upon  a  low  divan,  and  near  by,  upon 
a  small  table,  stood  a  lamp  which  had  burned  out  for 
lack  of  oil.  But,  as  in  the  cave,  a  strange  soft  light  made 
everything  clear  to  Saulus. 

Her  lithe,  shapely  form  was  wrapped  in  the  ample 
folds  of  an  easy  ntgligt  robe,  and  her  long  tresses  fell 


310  VICTOR  SERENUS 

behind  in  careless  profusion  over  her  comely  white  neck. 
She  sat  with  one  hand  pressed  against  her  childlike 
face,  which  was  paler  than  was  wont,  her  elbow  resting 
upon  the  small  table  at  her  side.  Her  downcast  eyes 
were  swollen  and  red  from  weeping,  her  heart  beating 
quickly,  and  a  long-drawn  sigh  escaped  from  her  lips  as 
Saulus  entered.  He  was  distressed  by  her  changed  ap- 
pearance. The  happy  smile  which  formerly  played  upon 
her  delicate  features  had  been  replaced  by  a  sorrowful, 
drawn  expression,  and  the  erstwhile  full  ripe  red  lips,  so 
carelessly  parted,  were  pale  and  compressed. 

"  How  changed!     Is  this  really  you,  Cassia  dear?  " 

He  seated  himself  by  her  side,  and  taking  her  hand 
in  his,  pressed  it  to  his  lips,  and  then,  with  a  reverent 
air,  gave  her  a  kiss  upon  the  forehead.  She  felt  it  not. 
Then  he  gazed  into  her  eyes,  hoping  in  vain  that  once 
again  there  might  be  reflected  some  image  of  himself. 

Her  manner  was  abstracted,  and  soon,  with  deep  emo- 
tion, she  began  talking  to  herself, — 

"  O  my  Saulus !  Where  art  thou  ?  and  what  evil  hath 
befallen  thee?  Behold  thy  Cassia  weeps  for  thee  and 
cannot  be  comforted.  Shall  I  mourn  thee  as  dead  ?  " 

Saulus  listened  in  agony,  but  could  not  make  his  pres- 
ence known.  Every  word  cut  him  to  the  heart. 

"  I  will  not  believe  the  tidings  that  have  come  to  me. 
Some  say  that  thou  hast  become  a  lunatic,  and  some  that 
thou  wast  smitten  by  the  sun  and  died,  and  others  that 
thou  hast  joined  the  hated  Nazarenes.  Peradventure 
they  are  all  lies  !  O  Saulus !  I  am  persuaded  that  thou 
art  still  faithful.  I  wot  not  but  that  thou  art  sick  or  in 
peril !  O  Saulus  !  why  dost  thou  not  return  ? " 


A   PSYCHICAL  JOURNEY  311 

Then  she  arose  and  paced  to  and  fro  in  the  little 
apartment,  and  Saulus  beseechingly  followed  her.  She 
spoke  once  more, — 

"  O  my  loved  one  !  I  feel  almost  that  thou  art  here ! 
Something  like  thy  sweet  breath  came  upon  my  cheek! 
Nay!  my  imagination  doth  deceive  me  !  " 

Then  she  sat  down  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands, 
and  burst  into  fresh  weeping. 

Saulus  could  endure  the  scene  no  longer.  Thrilled 
and  overwhelmed,  he  withdrew  in  like  manner  as  he  had 
entered.  In  the  effort  to  calm  himself  he  visited  some 
of  the  other  apartments. 

After  satisfying  himself  that  his  father,  mother,  and 
Rebecca  were  no  longer  in  the  Holy  City,  he  again  as- 
cended to  the  roof  and  sat  down,  if  possible  to  quiet  his 
distress.  Soon  he  grew  more  peaceful.  He  looked  up 
into  the  starry  firmament,  far  above  the  local  and  tem- 
porary scenes  of  turmoil  and  disappointment,  and  still- 
ness came  into  his  soul.  The  intensity  of  that  which 
had  been  near  and  present  was  merged  into  a  living 
sense  of  the  broad,  the  Real,  and  the  Universal.  The 
personal  affection  which  had  been  so  narrowly  centred, 
was  submerged  in  a  love  that  was  all-embracing. 

With  a  tranquil  feeling  of  strength  and  inclination, 
and  without  any  conscious  passage  of  time,  he  found 
himself  again  in  the  cave  at  Horeb,  and  everything  as 
he  had  left  it.  He  sought  his  quiet,  prostrate  form,  with 
which  he  had  all  the  while  been  connected  by  an  invisi- 
ble spiritual  cord,  and  with  a  quick  but  indescribable 
pang  repossessed  his  corporeal  frame,  opened  his  eyes, 
and  sat  upright. 


312  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

A   POWERFUL   PULSE   STIRRED 

Truth,  when  stripped  of  the  masks  and  stains  that  have  been  un- 
wittingly put  upon  her,  hath  a  fair  countenance,  and  all  who  behold 
her  inner  beauty  thus  revealed,  have  a  drawing  in  their  hearts  towards 
her. 

THE  blue  sparkling  waves  closed  over  the  grave  of  the 
Salapiae  with  no  sigh  of  repentance,  their  sportive  play 
having  suffered  but  a  moment  of  interruption.  Tears 
filled  the  eyes  of  Vivian  as  she  disappeared,  but  soon 
he  regained  his  wonted  composure.  From  long-continued 
intimacy  she  had  seemed  almost  a  living  thing,  and  he 
had  regard  for  eveiy  plank  and  spar  which  pertained  to 
her.  Now  she  was  gone  forever. 

But  mingled  with  the  sense  of  loss  there  was  a  great 
joy,  not  only  on  account  of  the  assured  safety  of  every 
soul  which  had  been  under  his  care,  but  that  the  proph- 
ecy, for  its  own  sake  and  that  of  Serenus,  had  been  so 
signally  verified.  He  hailed  it  as  a  positive  sign  and 
confirmation  of  the  wisdom  of  his  friend,  and  still  more 
of  the  power  of  the  New  Faith  which  had  been  awakened 
within  him.  To  his  belief  was  added  demonstration. 

The  weather  being  fine,  the  little  group,  at  the  invita- 
tion of  Marcius,  were  seated  under  a  canopy  upon  the 
upper  deck  of  the  Nereid,  while  refreshments  were  be- 
ing prepared  for  them  below.  The  graceful  galley,  with 


A   POWERFUL   PULSE  STIRRED  313 

a  favoring  breeze  and  every  sail  set,  was  now  speeding 
along  towards  Tarsus. 

"  The  gods  be  thanked  that  I  sought  the  sea  to-day," 
said  Marcius. 

"  Verily  we  are  thankful,  and  fully  persuaded  both  of 
the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  thy  choice,"  replied  Vivian. 

"  By  Pallas  !  it  doth  seem  strange  !  I  had  already 
directed  the  oarsmen  to  make  ready  the  small  barge  for 
an  excursion  up  the  Cydnus,  and  was  almost  in  readi- 
ness to  depart.  But  a  mysterious  impulse  seized  me  to 
change  the  plan,  and  to  order  the  Nereid  to  be  manned 
for  a  day's  cruise  instead.  Something  well  nigh  like  a 
voice  importuned  me  to  'put  out  to  sea,'  and  I  obeyed." 

"  A  truce  to  thy  superstition,"  said  Leander.  "  Thou 
art  always  eager  for  mystery,  and  unable  to  believe  thy 
senses.  I  rejoice  in  thine  altered  purpose,  and  that 
through  it  our  friends  can  continue  their  sea  voyage, 
instead  of  taking  a  rough  one  over  the  Styx ;  but  verily, 
thy  fancy  hath  become  unruly." 

"  O  faithless  Greek  !  thou  believest  nothing  !  Thou 
shouldst  deny  that  the  wind  ever  bloweth  because  thou 
canst  not  see  its  color  and  shape  !  I  am  persuaded  that 
oracular  voices  are  not  alone  in  temples.  Peradventure 
the  gods  whispered  to  me !  " 

Leander  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  good-humoredly 
smiled,  with  a  derisive  air. 

"  Shades  of  Pluto !  only  children  and  women  believe 
the  unbelievable  !  " 

Marcius  was  undisturbed  by  the  reckless  sarcasm  of 
his  friend,  and  calmly  continued,— 

"  He  who   limits  his  belief   to  the  testimony  of   the 


314  VICTOR  SERENUS 

senses  is  a  fool,  and  only  lightly  skims  the  surface  of 
life.  What  sayest  thou,  Master  Vivian  ?  " 

The  flight  of  years  had  wrought  an  important  change 
both  in  the  character  and  social  position  of  Marcius,  but 
the  improvement  in  Leander  was  much  more  superficial. 

The  mysterious  meeting  face  to  face  with  Alethea  in 
the  adytum  of  the  Temple  proved  to  be  an  important 
event  in  the  experience  and  pursuits  of  the  Roman. 
After  the  weird  night  of  that  notable  judgment  and 
warning,  which  through  beautiful  but  terribly  earnest  lips 
were  wafted  from  the  realm  of  the  Unseen,  he  had  be- 
come a  man  of  higher  ideals.  Though  fond  of  races, 
athletics,  and  sports  in  general,  the  overt  vices  of  former 
years  fell  away,  and  he  grew  thoughtful,  reserved,  and 
even  kindly  in  his  disposition.  Being  of  patrician  lin- 
eage, and  possessing  excellent  native  ability  as  well  as 
great  wealth,  he  had,  by  the  imperial  edict  of  the  Em- 
peror Tiberius,  recently  been  appointed  Vice  Legate  of 
Tarsus  and  its  outlying  provinces,  so  that  he  was  now 
next  in  rank  to  the  Roman  governor.  After  the  reign 
of  Tiberius  he  was  continued  in  the  same  position  by 
Gaius,  and  still  afterwards  by  Claudius. 

While  he  formally  continued  such  outward  devotion  to 
the  Roman  and  Tarsian  deities  as  was  customary  in  Tar- 
sus, there  had  grown  to  be  a  depth  and  seriousness  in 
his  life  which  was  unwonted  for  the  period,  and  far  re- 
moved from  the  grossness  of  his  earlier  years.  Though 
having  but  a  dim  appreciation  of  true  spiritual  attain- 
ment, yet  the  corrupt  and  sensuous  worship  of  the  time 
became  increasingly  unsatisfying.  He  openly  avowed  to 
his  friends  that  to  his  certain  knowledge  human  life  was 


A   POWERFUL   PULSE  STIRRED  315 

unbroken  by  the  dark  passage  of  the  Styx,  and  that 
character  and  consciousness  continued.  Aside,  however, 
from  a  light  round  of  official  duties,  his  time  was  largely 
given  to  wholesome  amusements.  But  this  did  not  pre- 
vent some  irregular  study  of  Greek  lore,  and  a  little 
familiarity  with  the  higher  ancient  philosophy. 

Although  Leander  was  now  outwardly  respectable,  — 
as  the  term  went  in  Tarsus,  —  there  was  a  growing  dis- 
tance between  the  two  friends  which  was  plain  to  both. 
Marcius  permitted  the  continuance  of  some  intimacy 
because  of  former  friendship,  and  also  that  his  influence 
might  be  helpful  to  the  volatile  Greek. 

Vivian  gave  his  unqualified  assent  to  the  question  of 
Marcius,  and  added,  — 

"  O  my  lord !  my  good  friend  Serenus  hath  much 
wisdom  concerning  the  philosophy  of  life,  present  and 
future,  and  hath  taught  me  to  my  great  profit." 

Marcius  cast  an  inquiring  but  rather  incredulous  look 
upon  the  young  Hebrew,  and  observed,  — 

"  I  am  glad  that  thou  art  a  philosopher  !  I  have  many 
questionings  which  disquiet  me.  Peradventure  we  may 
reason  together  with  profit.  Pardon  my  inquiry,  art  thou 
a  Greek  ?  " 

The  question  was  natural,  as  Serenus  showed  but  little 
of  the  distinctive  Hebrew  physiognomy,  and  especially  as 
philosophical  inquiry  and  speculation  were  more  common 
among  the  Greeks  than  any  other  nation.  However,  his 
fair  and  almost  youthful  appearance  had  little  in  common 
with  the  usual  characteristics  of  a  typical  sage. 

"I  am  a  Hebrew,  though  a  native  of  Alexandria,"  re- 
plied Serenus  modestly. 


3l6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Marcius  showed  a  little  surprise ;  for  his  contact  with 
the  Hebrews  of  Tarsus  had  made  them  seem  abhorrent 
and  bigoted,  and  the  supposition  that  an  Israelite  could 
be  different  was  new.  His  sly,  sarcastic  look  of  unbelief 
expressed  as  plainly  as  words  could  have  uttered,  — 

"A  philosophical  Hebrew!     A  curiosity  indeed  !  " 

But  quickly  suppressing  any  appearance  of  disrespect, 
and  noting  the  noble  and  manly  bearing  of  Serenus,  he 
politely  continued,  — 

"  Pardon  me  !  I  have  in  no  wise  much  knowledge  of 
your  people,  but  have  had  the  feeling  that  their  philoso- 
phy, and  religion  also,  consisted  of  a  foolish  round  of 
ceremonialism,  and  that  their  devotion  is  paid  to  one 
poor  and  exclusive  tribal  deity.  And  have  they  not  an 
exceeding  contempt  for  all  other  religions  and  peoples  ?  " 

With  dignified  calmness  Serenus  replied,  — 

"  Thou  judgest  not  unrighteously,  my  lord  Marcius.  I 
would  that  it  were  altogether  different." 

Marcius  was  pleased  with  the  serene  manliness  of 
Serenus,  and  turning  to  Vivian  remarked,  — 

"  Of  all  Hebrews,  thy  friend  is  the  only  one  whom  I 
have  ever  known  in  whose  eyes  everything  peculiar  to 
his  own  people  did  not  seem  wholly  righteous." 

"  Though  born  a  Hebrew,  I  am  persuaded  that  he  dis- 
cerneth  the  inner  goodness  of  all  men,"  replied  Vivian. 

"  If  he  showeth  that  kind  of  a  spirit,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
listen,  even  if  I  do  not  believe  his  teaching!  Where,  O 
Serenus !  hath  thy  doctrines  been  taught,  and  in  what 
school  hast  thou  found  thy  philosophy  ?  " 

"  In  my  early  youth  I  was  a  pupil  of  Philo  of  Alexan- 
dria, and  afterwards  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  Rabban  Gamaliel 


A   POWERFUL   PULSE  STIRRED  317 

at  Jerusalem.  But  with  all  due  honor  to  them,  more 
hath  come  to  me  that  pertaineth  not  to  the  schools." 

"  From  whence,  then,  is  thy  learning  ?  " 

"  In  worldly  wisdom,  science,  and  the  Jewish  law,  I 
am  beholden  to  their  teaching;  but  there  remaineth  a 
higher  knowledge,  the  inner  working  of  which  they  but 
feebly  discern.  It  hath  to  do  with  the  life  of  man,  now 
and  hereafter,  and  the  cultivation  of  his  spiritual  forces." 

"I  feel  a  concern  touching  these  things,  and  would 
fain  know  more  of  life  and  destiny.  Peradventure  some 
profit  may  come  to  me  through  thy  wisdom." 

"  I  trow  thou  art  not  fully  content  with  the  teaching 
of  the  sages !  Doubtless  thou  art  well  versed  in  the  phi- 
losophies of  Pythagoras,  Socrates,  Plato,  and  Epicurus  ?  " 

"I  boast  not  myself  of  a  deep  understanding  of  their 
doctrines ;  but  at  seasons  when  my  sports  have  become 
wearisome,  I  have  felt  some  inner  craving  which  I  have 
sought  to  satisfy  with  their  wisdom.  But  I  confess  to 
thee  that  they  have  not  fully  ministered  to  my  need." 

"Wherein  lieth  thy  discontent.  O  my  lord  Marcius?" 

"  In  my  earlier  years  I  counted  myself  an  Epicurean  ; 
but  it  hath  become  manifest  that  the  doctrine  of  Epicurus 
hath  lost  its  purity  in  the  lives  and  doings  of  its  pro- 
fessed disciples.  But  I  am  persuaded  that  it  hath  error 
from  the  beginning.  Aforetime  an  experience  in  the 
adytum  of  the  Temple  at  Tarsus  showed  me  that  death 
doth  not  end  all,  as  hath  been  taught.  Since  then  I 
have  earnestly  desired  the  full  truth." 

"Thou  speakest  wisely.  The  Epicurean  philosophy 
contained  some  measure  of  truth,  but  the  disbelief  of  life 
after  the  grave  is  a  deadly  error." 


3l8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Of  that  I  am  truly  convinced.  But  what  dost  thou 
think  of  pleasure  ?  Epicurus  taught  that  it  was  the  chief 
end  of  life,  but  that  it  could  only  be  attained  through  a 
rational  and  prudent  wisdom." 

"  In  other  words,  that  excesses  defeated  the  very  thing 
sought ! " 

"Yea,  verily;  but  his  followers  have  put  this  out  of 
mind." 

"Pleasure  that  cometh  from  righteousness  is  well,  but 
that  which  seemeth  to  come  from  slavery  to  the  lower 
self,  in  due  time  bringeth  forth  a  harvest  of  self-destruc- 
tion !" 

"  I  have  had  manifold  witness  of  what  thou  sayest." 

"  But  there  is  a  pleasure  that  endureth  which  cometh 
from  conformity  to  the  higher  law.  Behold  the  spirit  of 
that  law  may  be  summed  up  in  love  to  all  men." 

Leander  took  no  interest  in  the  converse,  and  plead- 
ing some  excuse,  retired  to  the  cabin  below,  where  he 
could  read  poetry  or  recite  tragedy  in  his  own  dramatic 
manner  undisturbed.  But  Marcius,  having  an  innate 
fondness  for  philosophical  and  metaphysical  speculations, 
was  greatly  interested. 

Amabel  withdrew  for  rest  to  an  apartment  which  had 
been  specially  assigned  to  her;  and  as  the  Nereid  sped 
on  towards  Tarsus,  Marcius,  Vivian,  and  Serenus  con- 
tinued their  familiar  conversation. 

"What  thinkest  thou,  O  Serenus!  of  the  seeming  voice 
which  turned  me  from  the  Cydnus  to  the  sea  ?  As  it 
hath  come  to  pass,  had  I  not  heeded  it,  every  soul  on 
the  Salapiae  would  have  gone  down  with  her.  Was  it  a 
whisper  of  one  of  the  gods?  " 


A    POWERFUL   PULSE  STIRRED  319 

"  The  answer  to  thy  question  hath  within  it  that  which 
to  all  peoples  and  religions  is  a  great  mystery.  But  the 
strangeness  hath  only  been  in  their  perception.  Perad- 
venture  it  may  seem  an  offence  unto  thy  religion  if  I 
speak  freely  unto  thee." 

"  Nay,  I  am  pleased  to  listen  ;  for  I  perceive  that  thou 
hast  regard  to  the  truth,  as  thou  believest,  without  preju- 
dice." 

"  I  also  perceive  that  thou,  Lord  Marcius,  art  a  Roman 
of  honor  and  fairness  of  judgment.  But  to  thy  question. 
Be  not  surprised  when  I  assure  thee  that  there  is  but  one 
God,  and  not  gods  many  !  " 

Marcius  was  momentarily  impatient.  There  was  a 
sternness  in  his  large  black  eyes  which  boded  controversy 
and  disagreement.  But  bethinking  himself  of  the  re- 
spect due  his  guest,  and  of  his  own  earnest  request  for 
an  answer,  he  quietly  observed,  — 

"Pardon  me;  but  I  was  minded  from  Vivian's  testi- 
mony concerning  thy  broad  philosophy,  that  thou  didst 
no  longer  devote  thyself  to  the  leanness  of  the  single 
tribal  god  of  thy  people.  Behold  how  much  more  free 
and  abundant  is  homage  to  all  the  gods  ! " 

"Thou  sayest  well  that  the  Hebrew  ideal  of  God  is 
narrow,  mean,  and  selfish  !  He  is  not  great  enough  to 
regard  any  but  themselves  !  With  all  their  sincerity,  they 
worship  a  false  god.  But  the  gods  of  the  Greeks  and 
Romans  are  also  false.  They  have  the  same  passions, 
weaknesses,  and  changeableness  that  belong  to  men  ;  they 
are  but  magnified  images  of  their  worshippers !  " 

Marcius  was  so  struck  by  the  truth  of  the  statement 
that  he  uttered  no  protest,  and  Serenus  continued,  — 


VICTOR  SERENUS 

0,'he  one  true  God  is  supreme  over  all.  Through  his 
perfect  economy  he  ordereth  all  nations  and  tribes,  yea, 
and  everything  seen  and  unseen.  He  loveth  all,  for  he 
is  Love.  He  is  the  eternal  and  omnipresent  Spirit,  who 
hath  no  local  habitation,  for  he  filleth  all  space.  In  him 
we  have  our  breath  and  life,  for  he  is  the  source  of  all 
being.  We,  being  his  children,  and  made  in  his  image, 
are  spirits,  as  he  is  Spirit,  even  while  wearing  fleshly 
garments." 

Marcius  was  silent,  and  listened  with  rapt  attention. 

"  The  Father  of  all  things  hath  everything  orderly  in 
his  dealings  with  the  world  and  the  children  of  men.  He 
hath  from  the  beginning  ordained  powers  and  laws  which 
are  unchangeably  perfect  in  their  operation ;  and  man,  by 
acquainting  himself  with  their  methods  and  beneficent 
regularity,  may  command  their  ministry.  Through  an 
understanding  of  them  he  may  even  grow  to  be  Godlike. 
Behold,  man  reckoneth  himself  to  be  a  creature  of  the 
dust  and  of  short  duration  ;  and  by  an  inner  law  which 
he  knoweth  not  of  he  hath  completely  filled  the  measure 
of  his  thought.  It  is  an  unchangeable,  divine  behest, 
that  man  grows  into  the  likeness  of  what  he  believes  he 
is.  Behold,  the  Greeks  and  Romans  desire  good  in  their 
worship,  but  in  their  craving  to  discern  God,  —  the  Un- 
seen, —  they  have,  in  low  degree,  personified  his  laws  and 
forces  to  their  hurt.  Hence  many  gods  of  many  names  ! 
They  have  mistakenly  tried  to  bring  God  down  to  their 
level,  instead  of  lifting  their  thought  towards  him  —  the 
Perfect  and  Unchangeable.  This  is  because  their  minds 
are  fixed  wholly  upon  the  things  that  are  seen,  and  there- 
fore they  count  their  bodies  to  be  themselves." 


A   POWERFUL  PULSE  STIRRED  $21 

Marcius  was  visibly  moved. 

"Thou  hast  faithfully  drawn  my  likeness.  I  had  al- 
ways believed  that  the  body,  or  rather  the  head,  which 
is  a  part  of  it,  did  the  thinking,  until  the  vision  of  Ale- 
thea.  Then  I  perceived  that  thinking  was  possible 
without  a  seen  body.  I  was  beholden  to  believe  what  I 
saw,  but  knew  not  how  it  could  be." 

"  Of  a  verity,  it  is  the  real  self  that  thinks  and  knows ; 
the  body  being  only  its  instrument  of  manifestation.  Can 
a  harp  play  of  itself,  without  a  harper  ? " 

"Thine  interpretation  is  good !  And  now,  as  thou  hast 
set  forth  the  gods  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  tell  me 
more  fully  of  the  God  of  the  Hebrews.  Surely  they 
worship  not  such  an  one  as  thou  hast  commended  ? " 

"  The  Hebrew  is  right  in  his  belief  of  One ;  but  his 
small  and  selfish  ideal  concerning  him  hath  brought  forth 
the  natural  fruit  of  uncharitableness,  pride,  and  hollow 
ceremony.  But  I  unlovingly  condemn  neither  Roman, 
Greek,  nor  Jew.  Things  that  are  imperfect  satisfy  not, 
and  therefore  finally  work  out  that  which  is  higher. 
Because  men  believe  their  inner  nature  to  be  of  the  seen 
instead  of  spiritual,  they  become  carnal  in  the  dim  light 
of  such  a  standpoint,  which  is  fixed  among  outward  and 
deceptive  appearances.  The  knowledge  of  their  inner 
being,  and  that  they  are  the  offspring  of,  and  one  with, 
the  Spirit,  which  is  All  in  All,  is  not  theirs,  because  they 
look  downward.  But  all  the  children  of  men  are  slowly 
feeling  their  way  towards  God ;  and  through  the  teaching 
of  manifold  tribulations  will  finally  behold  the  Father's 
goodness,  which  will  draw  all  to  him.  Could  they  be 
persuaded  that  they  are  spirits  now,  no  longer  mistaking 


322  VICTOR  SERENUS 

their  bodies  for  themselves,  like  the  lilies,  they  would 
grow  naturally  towards  beauty  and  perfection.  Love 
would  drive  out  hatred,  and  inner  spiritual  harmony  re- 
place the  prevailing  lower  consciousness." 

"By  Pallas,  — pardon  the  force  of  habit,  — thy  philos- 
ophy is  both  reasonable  and  well-pleasing!  Behold,  while 
it  is  new  to  mine  ears,  something  within  —  peradventure 
the  voice  of  the  morning  —  seems  almost  to  testify  to  its 
truth.  But  thou  hast  not  yet  interpreted  the  utterance 
which  led  me  to  turn  from  the  Cydnus  to  the  sea.  It 
seemeth  marvellous  that,  while  it  guided  me,  I  felt  that 
I  freely  chose  the  cruise." 

"That  which  I  have  spoken  may  help  in  the  under- 
standing of  the  voice.  The  mind  of  man  is  so  subtly 
wrought  that  it  hath  many  hidden  forces  which  com- 
monly remain  latent,  and  of  the  usefulness  of  which  men 
are  ignorant.  We  may  be  likened  to  children  with  play- 
things in  their  hands,  in  which  are  wrapped  up  signs  and 
wonders.  The  dominion  of  soul  or  mind  extendeth  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  is  in  no  wise  limited  to  the 
bodily  members.  The  Universal  Spirit,  though  not  re- 
garded in  man's  thoughts,  often  speaketh  to  his  inner 
nature.  Like  uttereth  itself  to  like,  and  spirit  to  spirit. 
Of  a  verity,  it  never  ceaseth  its  whisperings  to  every 
inner  ear  that  is  open.  But  few  there  be  that  listen. 
Peradventure  in  some  way  thou  art  being  prepared  to 
be  a  listener.  I  am  persuaded,  therefore,  that  this  day, 
before  the  third  hour,  thou  didst  have  a  touch,  in  thine 
inmost  soul,  of  the  peril  of  the  Salapiag,  and  a  prompting 
of  thy  free  will  to  come  to  her  relief.  That  which  seem- 
eth a  mystery  may  be  childlike  and  plain  when  its 


A   POWERFUL  PULSE  STIRRED  323 

orderly  working  is  made  known.  Thou  mightest  also 
have  been  moved  —  like  as  by  a  flash  —  by  the  outgoing 
of  our  own  thought,  which  is  a  divine  operation  put  into 
our  own  hands  for  ministry  and  service  to  one  another." 

"  Then  thou  dost  not  count  the  voice  as  marvellous  ? " 

"  Peradventure  a  miracle  to  thee,  because  it  seemeth 
strange  in  thine  eyes  ;  but  no  more  wonderful  in  itself 
than  that  the  goodly  Nereid  is  wafted  along  by  the  air 
of  heaven." 

The  theologies  of  all  the  ages  have  uniformly  held  in 
disregard  that  which  has  been  termed  "naturalism." 
But  it  seems  pertinent  to  inquire  where  its  boundary 
lines  can  be  drawn,  and,  in  fact,  if  it  does  not  include 
everything,  both  material  and  spiritual.  If  these  terms 
were  employed  simply  to  designate  an  orderly  lower  and 
higher  in  the  established  economy,  as  they  sometimes 
are,  their  usefulness  would  be  obvious.  But  they  have 
been  set  in  antithesis,  one  seeming  to  imply  the  divine 
and  orderly  course  of  all  sequence,  and  the  other  that 
economy  broken  into  or  superseded.  Can  the  perfect 
and  unchangeable  God  contradict  himself  ?  Is  the  spir- 
itual realm  less  amenable  to  uniform  method  in  the 
relation  of  cause  and  effect  than  its  external  and  material 
counterpart  ? 

Just  in  proportion  that  the  normality  of  the  summits 
of  moral  and  spiritual  attainment  is  presented,  they  are 
made  attractive  to  the  human  mind  and  consciousness. 
In  the  very  nature  of  things,  "supernaturalism,"  which 
savors  of  the  unnatural  and  abnormal,  fails  to  commend 
itself  to  the  highest  reason.  In  some  degree  it  is  repel- 
lent. As  human  ignorance,  superstition,  and  irrational 


324  VICTOR  SERENUS 

assumption  are  left  behind,  the  hearts  of  men  go  out 
after  an  orderly  Deity.  They  turn  towards  him  as  natu- 
rally as  flowers  open  themselves  to  the  sun.  The  book 
of  nature  contains  a  symmetrical  revelation  of  God,  and 
there  is  nothing  common  nor  unclean.  There  is  no 
"secular,"  for  all  is  sacred.  Everything  has  been  conse- 
crated without  the  intervention  of  the  puny  rites  of  man. 

A  lawful  chain  of  sequences  is  as  surely  found  in  the 
soul  as  in  chemistry  or  physics.  When  the  orderly 
beauty  of  individual  spiritual  unfoldment  is  seen  by  man, 
be  he  high  or  low,  ignorant  or  learned,  bond  or  free, 
black  or  white,  Roman  or  Greek,  pagan  or  Christian,  his 
heart  throbs,  and  his  desire  warms  towards  the  upward 
path  which  opens  before  him. 

The  announcement  came  up  from  below  that  refresh- 
ments were  served,  and  Marcius  gracefully  escorted  his 
guests  to  the  faultless  repast.  In  the  beauty  of  every 
detail,  the  triclinium  of  the  house  of  a  Roman  senator 
could  hardly  have  excelled  the  private  dining-apartment 
of  the  Nereid.  With  artistic  gracefulness  flowers  and 
perfumes  were  mingled  with  dainty  viands.  The  highly 
polished  floor,  which  was  tinted  with  minium,  exhaled  a 
delicate,  rose-like  odor.  Four  serving-boys,  in  white  robes 
of  bissus,  entered  while  the  guests  were  standing,  and 
placed  upon  each  corner  of  the  table  a  small  tutelary 
statue,  or  Lar,  and  after  all  were  reclining,  reverently 
raised  an  amphora  of  wine  above  their  heads,  exclaim- 
ing in  concert,  "  May  the  gods  favor  us ! "  Marcius 
seemed  unconscious  of  any  ostentation,  nothing  being 
unusual.  His  guests  were  quite  at  ease.  Choice  old 
Falernian  and  other  wines  were  offered,  but  declined, 


A   POWERFUL  PULSE  STMRED  325 

and  with  the  true  instinct  of  a  host,  Marcius  partook 
very  sparingly  of  them  himself. 

The  conversation  turned  upon  the  recent  storm,  the 
experiences  of  the  Salapiae,  Tarsian  life,  the  latest  news 
from  Rome,  and  other  current  topics. 

When  the  meal  was  ended  they  again  ascended  to  the 
upper  deck.  With  every  stitch  of  canvas  drawing  the 
fresh  breeze,  and  every  spar  bending  gracefully  with 
the  pressure,  the  Nereid  skimmed  rapidly  over  the  waves, 
and  erelong  the  separate  towers  and  roofs  of  Tarsus  be- 
gan to  resolve  themselves  out  of  the  broadening  gray- 
and-white  mass.  The  white  sails  of  the  ships  of  many 
nations  also  dotted  the  harbor  in  the  distance. 

As  soon  as  the  little  group  were  again  seated,  Marcius 
expressed  his  desire  to  know  yet  more  fully  of  the  opin- 
ions and  doctrines  of  Serenus. 

"  Thy  philosophy  seemeth  so  reasonable  and  pleasing 
that  I  would  fain  listen  to  thee  further.  The  worship  of 
Jupiter,  Hercules,  and  all  the  gods  of  Rome  and  Tarsus 
hath  not  given  me  full  satisfaction,  and  their  former 
purity  hath  become  degenerated.  But  I  would  have 
none  of  the  Hebrew  austerity  and  stiff  ceremonialism. 
I  have  beheld  their  gall-and-wormwood  faces  in  Tarsus, 
and  their  sackcloth  and  ashes,  self-conceit  and  ugly  cir- 
cumcision, disgust  me.  But  thou  art  no  Hebrew  !  If 
thou  wert  born  to  them,  thou  art  not  of  them,  for  thou 
beholdest  good  in  all  men." 

"I  perceive  that  of  a  verity  thou  dost  desire  the 
truth,"  replied  Serenus.  "Whosoever  seeketh  it  for  its 
own  sake  will  come  more  and  more  into  its  light,  and 
wax  strong  in  its  strength.  Nothing  less  can  break  the 


326  VICTOR  SERENUS 

shackles  of  superstition  and  bigotry,  whether  of  Hebrew, 
Greek,  or  Roman  fashioning,  and  set  men  free.  Only 
he  who  seeth  some  good — yea,  some  Godlikeness  —  in 
all  hath  his  eyes  open  to  behold  the  oneness  and  allness 
of  Truth,  which  includeth  concord  and  love,  and  which  is 
yet  to  be  the  great  religion  of  the  children  of  men.  The 
self-sufficient  and  vain-glorious  devotees  of  the  many 
cults  and  theologies  each  believe  themselves  alone  to  be 
righteous ;  for  their  outward  gaze  is  fastened  upon  the 
most  evil  and  unreal  aspects  of  all  systems  besides  their 
own." 

"Thinkest  thou  that  I  have  misjudged  the  Hebrew? 
Behold  I  have  seen  those  things  of  which  I  have  spoken 
in  the  very  streets  of  Tarsus." 

"  I  doubt  not  the  outward  appearances  which  thou  hast 
witnessed ;  but  even  in  those  hollow  and  ostentatious 
ceremonials  there  may  be  an  inner  good  intent.  All 
men  are  blindly  feeling  after  God,  —  the  chief  Good  ;  but 
they  often  lose  themselves  in  the  by-paths  of  external 
authority  and  unreasoning  belief.  Men  have  the  utter- 
ance of  the  Spirit  of  Truth  in  their  inmost  being,  but 
they  fail  to  interpret  its  drawing,  because  they  are  lis- 
tening to  a  confused  chorus  of  voices  outside.  Behold 
the  divine  law,  or  the  perfect  guide,  for  the  thought  and 
conduct  of  men  hath  not  been  fully  set  forth  by  seers 
and  philosophers,  inscribed  in  creeds  or  voiced  by  oracles, 
neither  hath  the  Israelitish  Decalogue,  which  was  en- 
graven upon  tables  of  stone,  entirely  contained  it.  But 
in  man's  being,  or  real  nature,  it  is  written  in  living  char- 
acters, —  letters  of  fire." 

"  Then  if  one  be  wayward  and  disobedient,  he  offend- 


A    POWERFUL   PULSE  STIRRED  327 

eth  not  so  much  external  codes,  as  the  laws  and  principles 
of  his  own  constitution." 

"Thou  couldst  not  have  declared  the  truth  more  per- 
fectly !  There  is  a  divine  image,  or  Son  of  God,  in  man. 
He  may  be  known  as  the  Anointed  One,  or  Christ, 
within.  But  commonly  he  remaineth  unmanifested." 

"  By  Hercules  1  —  pass  over  the  custom,  —  that  seemeth 
to  be  a  hard  saying.  Sayest  thou  that  the  ignorant,  the 
base,  and  all  men  have  this  Anointed  One,  the  Son, 
hidden  within  the  depths  of  their  being  ? " 

"  Yea ;  it  is  the  very  corner-stone  of  their  nature,  though 
they  know  it  not.  They  think  and  feel  that  all  men 
—  themselves  included  —  are  corrupt  in  their  being, 
because  the  troubled  waves  upon  the  surface  of  their 
every-day  consciousness  are  evil  and  rebellious.  There- 
fore they  yield  themselves  to  the  dominion  of  appearances, 
and  become  slaves  to  the  seen,  and  to  those  things 
which  their  own  thoughts  have  created,  and  their  own 
sensuous  faculties  upreared." 

"  O  wise  young  Hebrew !  —  nay,  more  than  Hebrew ! 
thy  philosophy,  as  thou  settest  it  forth,  carrieth  convic- 
tion, and  seemeth  worthy  of  confidence.  It  satisfieth 
my  questionings  far  more  perfectly  than  anything  I  have 
found  in  Greek  or  Roman  lore.  But  I  fain  would  know 
if  any  one  among  all  the  sons  of  men  hath  fully  brought 
the  Son,  the  Anointed  One  —  or  Christ,  as  thou  hast 
called  him  —  into  real  and  perfect  outward  manifesta- 
tion ?  Behold  is  not  this  the  great  need  in  order  that 
men  may  have  their  inmost  quality  made  visible?  Think- 
est  thou  that  such  an  Inner  made  Outer  will  ever  appear 
among  the  children  of  men  ? " 


328  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"HE    HATH    APPEARED    ALREADY!" 

The  intense  interest  which  had  made  Marcius  almost 
oblivious  to  their  rapid  progress  seemed  to  reach  a  climax. 
His  strong,  dark  features  lighted  up  with  an  unwonted 
curiosity;  but  at  that  moment  there  was  a  commotion 
around  them,  for  they  had  arrived  at  the  landing  where 
they  were  to  disembark. 

"Behold  thy  converse  hath  touched  my  very  heart, 
and  I  pray  thee  that  I  may  hear  further  of  this  matter. 
Do  thou  and  thy  wife  purpose  to  abide  in  Tarsus  ?  " 

"  Peradventure  for  a  season,  though  we  have  set  our 
faces  towards  Rome." 

"I  bid  you  welcome  to  my  palace.  Mine  is  thine. 
Pray  abide  under  my  roof  during  your  sojourn." 

"  Thou  dost  honor  us  with  great  kindness ;  but  we  are 
wonted  to  little  pomp,  and  thy  hospitality  seemeth  too 
generous." 

"  Thou  dost  deserve  honor  for  thy  great  goodness  and 
learning;  but  if  thou  dost  so  desire,  thy  abiding-place 
shall,  withal,  be  humble,  and  thou  shalt  be  free  from 
obligation." 

Serenus  accepted  the  hearty  invitation,  and  with  Am- 
abel prepared  to  leave  the  Nereid  and  become  guests 
of  Marcius.  Vivian  also  was  warmly  welcomed  to  the 
special  friendship  of  the  Vice  Legate,  and  was  assured 
of  the  pleasure  which  his  visits  to  the  palace  would 
afford. 

By  the  order  of  Marcius  the  rescued  sailors  of  the  Sa- 
lapiae  were  to  be  abundantly  ministered  unto  so  long  as 
their  necessities  remained. 

Leander,  while  outwardly  gracious  to  the  new-found 


A   POWERFUL   PULSE   STIRRED  329 

friends  of  Marcius,  could  hardly  conceal  his  jealousy 
towards  them ;  for  their  converse  had  disquieted  him, 
and  his  own  society  and  games  had  been  superseded. 

The  state  carriage,  or  chariot,  of  Marcius,  with  three 
gayly  caparisoned  horses  of  choice  breed,  harnessed 
abreast,  was  awaiting  him  when  the  Nereid  landed ;  and 
soon  the  Vice  Legate,  with  his  friends,  including  Lean- 
der,  were  rolling  rapidly  over  the  well-worn  flags  towards 
the  palace.  The  luxurious  equipage,  with  the  richly 
adorned  charioteer  and  footmen,  the  clatter  of  the  hoofs 
of  the  noble  steeds,  and  the  musical  jingle  of  silver  chain 
traces,  drew  the  attention  of  every  one  in  the  streets 
while  they  passed  by.  As  they  dashed  rapidly  through 
the  business  quarter,  a  young  woman,  seemingly  a  Jewess, 
no  longer  in  the  early  flush  of  youth,  but  of  remarkable 
beauty,  was  just  emerging  from  one  of  the  bazaars,  where 
she  had  been  to  make  some  trifling  purchases. 

It  was  Rebecca ! 

Casting  an  involuntary  glance  upwards,  the  face  of 
Marcius  —  that  face  forever  carved  upon  the  tablet  of 
memory  —  was  directly  before  her.  A  quick  shiver  shot 
through  her  frame,  but  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  her 
glance  took  in  another  face  just  behind.  Barely  sup- 
pressing the  impulse  to  speak  aloud,  she  exclaimed  to 
herself,  — 

"  My  friend  of  the  Holy  City !  and  with  THAT  ROMAN  !  " 


330  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A    MESSAGE    FROM    STEPHANOS 

EVERY  incident  of  the  journey  to  the  Holy  City  was 
fresh  and  vivid  to  Saulus,  and  he  felt  persuaded  that  it 
was  no  dream.  Amoz  observed  his  quick  uprising, 
which  astonished  him,  because  but  a  short  time  had 
passed  since  he  had  been  soothed  and  quieted  after  his 
wonted  evening  plaint. 

The  next  day  Saulus  wrote  the  following  letter:  — 

"  Marcheshvan,   VHIth  day, 
"  IN  A  CAVE  AT  HOREB, 

"  WILDERNESS  OF  SINAI. 

"  O  my  dear  Cassia  ! 

"Things  have  befallen  me  which  will  seem  strange  to 
thee !  I  have  been  led  by  the  God  which  is  above  all 
gods,  who  speaketh  to  me  from  the  stillness  within,  into 
a  new  and  higher  way  that  I  knew  not.  Behold  thou 
wilt  have  exceeding  contempt  for  me  when  thou  knowest 
that  I  have  become  a  follower  of  the  Nazarene,  and  am 
filled  with  great  sorrow  at  my  former  persecution  of  his 
followers.  I  have  deep  repentance  for  my  manifold  un- 
righteous deeds,  even  though  I  thought  to  do  service  to 
the  God  of  Israel.  Through  a  leading  that  1  would  not 
resist  I  have  journeyed  into  the  wilderness,  away  from 
the  habitations  of  men,  that  I  might  commune  with  a 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS  331 

Greater  than  the  God  known  by  our  nation,  and  receive 
inspiration  from  him.  Here  I  am  patiently  adding 
strength  to  strength,  that  in  the  fulness  of  time  I  may 
go  forth  to  proclaim  liberty  to  all  who  are  bound, 
whether  through  subjection  to  the  flesh,  or  under  the 
galling  yoke  of  the  ceremonial  law.  I  feel  a  renewing 
in  my  mind,  and  have  an  unwonted  joy  in  the  freedom 
and  purity  of  the  New  Faith.  Behold  it  satisfieth  every 
desire  of  the  heart,  and  cometh  as  a  healing  balm  to  my 
former  restless  hatred  and  false  righteousness.  I  de- 
light in  the  true  God,  for  he  is  over  all  men,  — Abiding 
Love,  —  and  no  longer  the  jealous  leader  of  one  people. 

"  O  Cassia,  well  beloved !  my  soul's  earnest  longing 
is  that  thou  also  might  have  regard  to  this  truth,  for  its 
value  is  above  rubies  !  Wilt  thou  not  open  thy  heart  to 
its  sweet  spirit?  My  love  waxeth  strong  towards  thee, 
but  I  am  constrained  to  make  known  everything  concern- 
ing myself.  Thou  freely  gavest  me  the  love  of  thy  heart 
and  thy  steadfast  promise  of  faithfulness,  but  perchance 
thou  wilt  not  regard  me  as  the  same  Saulus  that  pos- 
sessed thy  warm  affection.  But  with  all  humility  I  am 
persuaded  that  my  present  state  is  not  to  be  compared 
with  the  former  time,  when  I  was  given  over  to  angry  dis- 
putations, yea,  and  fiery  persecutions,  which  are  among 
the  base  things  that  I  forever  have  put  behind  me. 

"In  the  place  of  hatred  for  all  but  the  straitest  sect 
of  the  Chosen  People,  I  now  exercise  love  towards  all 
men.  Dost  thou  not  see,  O  my  Cassia  1  that  we  were 
altogether  fettered  in  our  doctrine ;  for  a  Godly  religion 
aboundeth  in  peace,  joy,  and  good-will.  If  thy  soul  yet 
yearneth  with  affection  towards  thy  lover,  I  pray  thee 


332  VICTOR  SERENUS 

that  it  may  go  out  even  more  strongly  in  the  favor  of  this 
great  and  living  Faith! 

"Behold  we  were  altogether  mistaken  about  the  evil 
intent  of  the  followers  of  the  Nazarene !  Through  false 
report  and  a  perverted  mind  we  believed  these  children 
of  the  Light  to  be  idolaters  and  unclean.  But  verily, 
they  have  a  ministry  of  goodly  service  and  longsuffering. 

"  It  is  meet  that  I  should  write  unto  thee,  O  my  little 
Cassia  1  with  mine  own  hand,  to  give  assurance  that  my 
soul's  affection  for  thee  abideth  single  and  true.  I  pray 
thee  that  thou  consider  well  that  the  new  and  all-abound- 
ing joy  that  I  have  in  the  New  Faith  hath  not  rendered 
me  unfaithful.  But  I  can  in  no  wise  abate  one  jot  or 
tittle  of  my  devotion  to  a  great  future  work, —  to  bring  all 
men,  so  far  as  I  am  able,  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
This  new  and  higher  way  was  made  manifest  for  all  the 
world  through  the  despised  prophet  of  Nazareth,  whose 
disciples  I  have  so  grievously  smitten  and  afflicted  afore- 
time. 

"  To  thee,  O  Cassia  1  I  remain  with  all  constancy,  if 
thy  heart's  affection  still  aboundeth  to  me-ward,  not 
the  same  self-willed  zealot  thou  hast  known,  but  the 
devoted  Apostle  of  the  Most  High,  and  the  earnest 
minister  of  the  New  Faith  to  all  men.  But  with  my 
love  in  no  wise  abated  towards  thee,  nothing  on  earth, 
not  even  the  utter  loss  of  thy  devotion,  can  in  the 
least  tempt  me  to  turn  back  to  my  former  manner  of 
mind.  If  thou  hast  no  desire  to  receive  the  new  Saulus 
in  the  place  of  him  whom  thou  hast  known,  behold  I 
freely  give  thee  release  from  all  thy  plighted  faith,  so 
that  thou  mayest  be  fully  free. 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS 


333 


"  Perchance  divers  rumors  have  come  to  thine  ears 
concerning  me,  but  I  beseech  thee  to  give  them  no  place. 
Howbeit,  in  this  epistle  I  have  fully  opened  my  heart 
unto  thee. 

"Of  all  the  company  that  left  the  Holy  City  under  my 
leadership,  Amoz  alone  remaineth  with  me. 

"Again  I  declare  my  love,  and  send  greetings  to  all 
thy  father's  house ! 

"  Peace  to  thee,  Cassia ! 

"SAULUS." 

On  the  same  day  that  the  above  was  written,  Saulus 
wrote  the  following  to  Rebecca,  who  was  now  in  her 
Tarsian  home.  Both  letters  were  despatched  by  Amoz 
to  the  station  where  they  would  be  taken  by  a  passing 
caravan. 

Marcheshvan,  VHIth  day. 
"  IN  A  CAVE  AT  HOREB, 

"  SINAITIC  WILDERNESS,  ARABIA. 

"  O  my  dear  Rebecca ! 

"I  would  fain  pour  out  my  heart  unto  thee!  Behold, 
my  beloved  sister,  thou  wilt  have  unwonted  astonishment 
when  this  epistle  reacheth  thine  hand,  to  know  that  thy 
hard-hearted  but  now  contrite  brother  dwelleth  in  a  cave 
in  the  land  of  Arabia.  But  thou  wilt  marvel  yet  more 
greatly,  when  I  declare  unto  thee  that  I  am  a  disciple 
of  the  New  Faith.  I,  Saulus  !  so  long  exceeding  mad 
against  those  of  that  Way,  am  a  miracle  unto  myself! 
I  well  nigh  feel  my  soul  to  be  twain  in  one  body, — 
the  Old  and  the  New;  but  I  live  and  move,  now  and 
henceforth,  in  the  New. 

"It  is  meet  that  thou,  my  sister,  companion  and  guar-' 


334  VICTOR  SERENUS 

dian  of  my  tender  years,  shouldst  now  receive  some 
acknowledgment  of  the  abundance  of  thy  gentle  goodness 
and  great  patience  to  me-ward  throughout  my  whole 
unrighteous  course  of  life.  While  I  persuaded  myself 
through  deceitful  belief  that  I  was  faithful  to  the  Chosen 
People,  and  even  doing  God  service  in  my  threatenings 
and  slaughter  among  the  saints  of  God,  there  was  a  Spirit 
giving  utterance  deep  within  my  soul  which  never  ceased 
to  rebuke  me.  But  I  was  stiff-necked,  and  would  not  lis- 
ten to  that  Voice,  which  I  now  know  to  have  been  the 
judgment  of  the  Most  High.  The  Eternal  Spirit  was 
prone  to  touch  my  spirit,  but  in  my  blindness  I  would 
have  none  of  it.  In  due  season  that  inner  reverberation 
became  like  the  sound  of  thunder!  I  vainly  strove  to  stop 
my  ears  and  to  drown  its  persuasion  by  scrupulous  cere- 
monial service,  and  withal  by  persecuting  all  who  were 
not  of  the  straitest  sect  of  the  household  of  Israel. 

"  But  why  set  before  thee  afresh  those  things  which  thou 
knowest  too  well,  and  which  must  needs  only  provoke  my 
shame.  From  this  day  I  leave  them  behind,  and  hold 
them  no  more  in  remembrance.  Thou  didst  ever  strive 
to  guide  my  feet  in  the  higher  way,  but  in  my  pride  and 
vainglory  I  despised  thy  counsel!  Of  all  who  abode  in 
the  house  at  the  Sheepmarket,  thou  only  didst  discern 
some  reflection  of  truth  in  the  lives  of  the  followers  of 
the  manifested  Light! 

*'  Honor  to  Serenus!  I  was  hardened  against  that  pure 
wisdom  in  him  which  thou  didst  so  clearly  perceive! 
Perfect  contentment  can  never  again  possess  me  until  I 
behold  him  face  to  face,  yea,  and  sit  at  his  feet,  and  learn 
more  of  that  Spirit  of  Truth  which  so  clearly  shone 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS  335 

through  him,  after  the  pattern  of  the  Nazarene.  The 
remembrance  of  his  unfailing  virtue  will  remain  with  me 
and  yield  inspiration.  Hast  thou  any  knowledge  of  his 
place  of  sojourn  since  I  banished  him  from  the  Holy 
City?  Moreover,  hast  thou  heard  any  tidings  from  Ama- 
bel, the  daughter  of  the  Rabban,  who  departed  from  her 
father's  house,  yea,  and  the  Holy  City  also,  for  the  sake 
of  the  New  Faith? 

"  Regarding  my  own  present  state,  I  am  persuaded  that 
I  have  some  beginnings  of  that  Spirit  which  filled  Jesus 
of  Nazareth.  I  patiently  wait  that  I  may  learn  more  of 
his  life  from  those  who  were  outwardly  taught  of  him. 

"The  solitude  of  the  wilderness,  the  joy  of  the  Unseen 
Presence,  and  rest  from  the  turmoil  of  the  world  and  the 
differences  of  men,  are  my  meat  and  drink.  In  due  time 
they  will  heal  the  wounds  of  my  repentant  soul,  and  be 
manifested  in  new  strength  of  body,  howbeit  a  weakness 
yet  remaineth  with  me.  Peradventure  it  is  a  messenger 
to  rebuke  any  spiritual  pride  that  may  beset  me,  and  also 
that  through  its  overcoming  I  may  wax  stronger  in  the 
inner  man. 

"If  any  disciples  of  the  New  Faith  should  journey  so 
far  as  Tarsus,  I  beseech  thee  that  thou  be  further  taught 
of  them.  I  also  am  minded  that,  by  the  goodness  of  thy 
life,  thou  wilt  commend  the  Truth  to  our  beloved  father 
and  mother. 

"In  the  fulness  of  time  I  will  return  and  be  among 
men,  that  I  may  publish  abroad  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
new  kingdom  to  all  who  will  listen.  Nothing  can  hin- 
der me,  and  no  enemies  can  stay  my  zeal  in  the  work 
whereunto  I  am  appointed.  In  the  strength  of  God, 


336  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  through  the  power  of  his  might,  I  will  give  myself 
to  the  teaching  of  all  nations. 

"My  faithful  friend  Amoz  abideth  with  me,  and  the 
cave  at  Horeb  is  a  goodly  habitation.  Behold  it  hath 
been  hallowed  by  the  Godly  men  and  prophets  of  past 
generations,  and  their  living  but  unseen  presence  yield- 
eth  a  benediction. 

"  I  trust  that  in  due  season  I  may  receive  a  letter  of 
goodly  size  written  by  thine  own  hand. 

"  Some  one  of  the  caravans  from  Caesarea  that  cross 
the  desert  of  Ettyh  Paran  to  the  land  of  Midian  will 
bring  it  nigh  to  Horeb. 

"May  the  Spirit  that  rilled  the  Nazarene  be  in  and 
with  thee! 

"  Peace  and  greetings  to  our  father  and  mother ! 

"SAULUS." 

The  days  that  followed  passed  serenely  with  the  two 
inmates  of  the  cave.  Saulus  steadily  gained  in  strength 
of  body,  and  his  vigor  of  soul  also  increased  day  by  da)/. 
Often  during  the  morning  hours,  with  Amoz  and  the 
camel,  he  made  short  journeys  in  the  adjacent  region, 
generally  returning  by  the  sixth  hour  of  the  day  to  their 
wonted  solitude. 

Amoz  felt  a  growing  concern  touching  the  experiences 
and  plans  of  Saulus,  whom  he  learned  to  love  with  a 
deep  devotion,  and  to  whose  teaching  he  listened  with 
gladness  and  profit.  One  evening  an  unwonted  long 
silence  succeeded  the  period  of  Saulus's  weakness,  and 
Amoz  was  moved  to  inquire  concerning  the  nature  of  his 
self-communing. 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS  337 

"O  my  dear  friend  and  teacher,  I  would  know  the 
secret  of  thy  meditations!  Behold,  when  thou  art  silent 
with  thine  eyes  closed,  thy  face  almost  seemeth  to  shine 
with  joy!  Tell  me  of  thy  thoughts!  When  I  fain  would 
rest  my  mind,  it  is  full  of  troubled  waves,  and  I  find  no 
peace." 

"Thy  inquiry  concerneth.  a  great  truth  to  which  the 
eyes  of  the  world  are  yet  holden.  It  hath  been  made 
known  to  me  through  the  working  of  my  great  tribula- 
tion. A  little  while  aforetime  my  former  bitterness  and 
persecutions  stood  out  before  my  soul  by  day  and  night. 
The  thoughts  of  my  innumerable  transgressions  scourged 
me  without  measure,  and  I  knew  of  no  escape.  Vainly  I 
strove  to  put  them  to  flight,  but  their  hellish  faces  of  re- 
proach gathered  thick,  and  stared  at  me  in  season  and 
out  of  season.  Wherever  I  turned,  my  tormentors  fol- 
lowed, and  my  soul  was  affrighted.  But  a  new  and 
higher  way  hath  been  revealed  unto  me.  I  fasten  my 
meditation  upon  God, — the  Omnipresent  Good, — and 
upon  everything  that  is  true  and  beautiful  and  of  good 
report,  and  behold  the  former  things  flee  because  they 
have  no  place  ! " 

"  Behold  that  is  a  path  to  freedom  that  I  have  not  un- 
derstood! My  former  life  hath  not  been  given  to  perse- 
cutions, but  even  those  things  that  appear  much  smaller 
greatly  disquiet  me.  Slumber  forsaketh  mine  eyelids  by 
reason  of  many  things  that  seem  against  me.  My  soul 
is  filled  with  manifold  fears  that  have  taken  up  their 
habitation  in  me  and  will  not  be  removed.  But  thou 
hast  given  me  much  light,  and  filled  me  with  hope.  I 
thought  it  wise  to  hide  these  things  from  thee,  but  now 


338  VICTOR  SERENUS 

rejoice  that  I  have  invited  thy  counsel.  I  will  fasten 
my  thoughts  upon  the  Good  and  not  the  evil.  But  the 
way  seemeth  not  easy,  for  the  strong  who  possess  a  for- 
tress will  not  be  put  out  except  by  a  stronger." 

"Thou  judgest  rightly.  It  is  not  a  light  thing,  but 
patience  will  accomplish  her  perfect  work  and  in  due 
season  be  rewarded.  Because  all  things  rest  in  the 
bosom  of  God,  Good  is  stronger  than  all  else,  yea,  it 
is  all!  Behold  we  ignorantly  magnify  evil  by  our  mis- 
taken thoughts  until  it  covereth  everything !  To  the 
pure  eye  and  the  right  thought  adverse  appearances  be- 
come friendly.  All  things  were  created  good,  but  man 
formeth  them  anew  for  himself  by  his  thought.  God  is 
too  pure  to  behold  iniquity,  because  only  he  who  hath  in 
himself  some  measure  of  evil  hath  the  perverted  vision 
to  recognize  it." 

"  Behold,  O  Saulus !  thy  wisdom  leadeth  into  the  light, 
and  thou  hast  planted  my  feet  upon  a  rock !  I  bless  the 
day  upon  which  I  turned  my  steps  into  the  wilderness 
with  thee!  By  thy  interpretation  it  well  nigh  appeareth 
that  every  man,  through  his  own  thoughts,  shapeth  to 
himself  the  whole  world  in  which  he  dwelleth!" 

"Thou  speakest  a  hidden  truth,  which  in  the  fulness 
of  time  will  become  plain,  and  thereby  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven  will  be  set  up  in  all  the  earth!  The  world 
groaneth  and  travaileth  through  the  fear  of  things  that  it 
hath  recreated  through  its  own  vain  imagining.  As  to 
unseemly  fears,  they  abide  not  only  with  thee,  but  with 
all  men.  Because  our  fathers  have  feared  God  instead 
of  loving  and  seeking  him,  they  have  filled  the  earth 
with  trembling  and  weakness.  Fear  hath  torment,  and 


A   MESSAGE   FROM  STEPHANOS  339 

bringeth  forth  an  all-prevailing  harvest  of  pain  and  sor- 
row, and  also  sickness  of  mind  and  body!  Our  fathers 
at  this  very  mountain  did  quake  and  tremble  because 
they  thought  God,  like  a  fretful  man,  was  angry,  and 
therefore  sent  a  tempest  of  thunderings  and  lightnings. 
To  give  our  souls  to  the  dominion  of  things  that  are 
seen  also  bringeth  us  into  subjection  to  evil.  They  are 
but  outward  appearances,  while  unseen  verities  abide 
forever. " 

"  I  give  judgment  that  thou  hast  learned  all  these 
things  since  thy  departure  from  the  Holy  City?" 

"  Thou  thinkest  rightly  !  They  came  not  from  the 
traditions  of  men,  nor  the  teaching  of  schools,  but  are 
revealed  only  from  within !  " 

The  next  day  Amoz  made  a  visit  to  the  halting-place 
of  the  caravans,  and  upon  his  return  handed  a  sealed 
package  to  Saulus.  It  was  a  letter  from  Cassia,  and 
ran  as  follows :  — 

"  Jerusalem,  Chideu  XVIth. 

"  O  thou  false-hearted  Saulus ! 

"  My  hand  well  nigh  refuseth  to  render  me  service ! 

"  How  hath  the  joy  and  desire  of  my  heart  turned  to 
ashes ! 

"  How  proudly  didst  thou  mount  thy  steed,  and  depart 
from  the  Holy  City  at  the  head  of  thy  goodly  company  in 
the  service  of  the  Chosen  People ! 

"How  brave  and  valiant  didst  thou  appear  as  thou 
turned  thine  eyes  up  to  the  casement  of  thy  Cassia  and 
waved  a  salutation,  and  then,  in  the  lead  of  thy  pro- 
cession, wound  thy  way  through  the  streets  of  the  Holy 
City! 


340  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"And  now  thou  dost  send  me  a  constrained  epistle 
from  a  lonely  cave  in  the  wilderness,  where  with  one 
base  follower  thou  dost  hide  thy  shamef acedness ! 

"Thou  who  didst  chastise  heretics  and  blasphemers, 
and  pursue  them  from  house  to  house,  and  take  them  to 
prison  — fallen!  so  that  they  even  put  thee  to  disgrace ! 

"Thou!  whose  penetrating  search  after  the  followers 
of  the  Nazarene  was  like  an  eagle  after  his  prey — THOU 
a  Nazarene ! 

"  I  have  mourned  thee  sore !  Rumors  came  to  me  from 
Damascus,  but  I  believed  them  not,  and  remained  faith- 
ful to  Saulus  —  the  love  of  my  heart ! 

"The  night-watches  have  witnessed  my  weeping  and 
desolation ! 

"  I  have  clothed  myself  in  sackcloth  and  mourned ! 

"  My  face  is  bowed  in  the  dust,  and  my  tongue  cleaveth 
to  the  roof  of  my  mouth ! 

"  Behold  the  fountains  of  my  tears  have  dried  up ! 

"I  have  wandered  in  the  streets  of  the  Holy  City, 
vainly  hoping  that  I  might  see  thy  face ! 

"  In  my  distress  I  have  walked  to  and  fro  in  my  cham- 
ber, and  anon  gazed  down  through  the  casement  —  where 
thine  eyes  rested  as  thou  departed  —  looking  for  thy 
return  ! 

"Once  I  perceived  something  like  a  shadow  of  thy 
form,  and  felt  thy  breath  upon  my  cheek,  and  a  kiss 
out  of  the  dim  light  seemed  to  rest  upon  me,  but  in  all 
I  was  mocked ! 

"Was  all  thy  former  love  and  devotion  but  vain  deceit, 
or  hast  thou  gone  mad?  It  hath  been  so  reported,  and  I 
am  constrained  to  believe  itl 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS  341 

"  Would  that  I  had  never  seen  thy  face  ! 

"  I  hold  in  contempt  the  love  which  thou  dost  now  pro- 
fess for  me ! 

"  Thou  hast  despised  not  me  only,  but  my  family  and 
people  and  religion,  and  all  which  thou  —  when  thou  wert 
Saulus  —  rightly  honored ! 

"  My  heart  is  bruised,  my  face  blanched,  and  my  form 
shrunken ! 

"  I  shall  die !  but  many  deaths  would  in  no  wise  turn 
my  heart  in  thy  favor !  CASSIA." 

The  visage  of  Saulus  as  he  read  the  missive  to  the 
end  was  pale  but  placid.  Not  a  word  escaped  his  lips, 
but  with  careful  deliberation  he  slowly  tore  the  delicate 
parchment  into  small  pieces,  and  scattered  them  in  one 
of  the  deep  chasms  of  the  cave. 

Often  during  a  stormy  evening,  when  the  elements 
seem  chaotic,  and  the  gusty  night  wind  sweeps  the 
broken  clouds  or  dark  mist  rapidly  along,  a  brilliant 
star  will  burst  into  full  view  for  a  moment,  and  then 
disappear. 

So  down  through  the  kaleidoscopic  procession  of 
the  ages,  at  intervals  some  great  soul  shines  out  in 
full-orbed  strength  and  beauty.  The  light  of  history 
reveals  that  these  are  they  who  have  passed  through 
tribulation. 

The  diamonds  and  other  precious  jewels  owe  their 
beauty  to  the  intense  fusing  to  which  they  have  been 
subjected  in  the  Plutonic  blasts  and  glowing  flames 
of  Nature's  laboratory.  The  cruder  natural  settings  in 


342  VICTOR  SERENUS 

which  they  are  clasped  are  baser,  because  they  have 
never  found  their  way  into  her  crucible. 

As  the  rough  block  of  marble  is  chipped,  broken,  and 
seemingly  almost  destroyed  before  the  imprisoned  form 
of  beauty  can  be  set  free,  so  the  trip-hammers  of  Fate, 
whose  terrible  blows  well  nigh  crush  out  the  very  life 
of  their  victim,  by  a  strange  paradox  finally  render 
him  shapely  beyond  compare.  The  towering  spirits  that 
have  worn  material  embodiment  are  those  whose  earthy 
cords,  deemed  so  vital  by  the  world,  have,  one  by  one, 
been  snapped,  until  they  found  their  life  by  losing  it. 

Saulus,  the  son  of  Benoni,  was  a  casting  from  the  fur- 
nace of  such  an  order  of  development.  Even  the  perse- 
cutions which  had  been  waged  by  him  doubtless  had  a 
place  among  the  lurid  flaming  tongues  which,  in  a  white 
heat,  contributed  to  the  shaping  of  the  new  Saulus. 

Cassia's  letter  severed  the  last  subtle  cord  which  teth- 
ered him  to  the  earthly.  He  was  emancipated.  Not,  be 
it  understood,  that  celibacy,  asceticism,  or  other-world- 
liness  are  normal,  or  worthy  to  be  sought,  but  that  in 
the  moral  and  spiritual  economy  of  humanity,  there  are 
souls  whose  rounding  and  polishing  come  only  through 
infinite  travail. 

But  if  the  white  flower  of  truth  and  spiritual  attain- 
ment seem  to  blossom  most  perfectly  when  its  roots 
have  struck  deep  in  the  slimiest  moral  soil,  let  it  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  viscous  mass  is  not  the  cause,  but 
only  the  occasion,  of  its  supernal  beauty.  The  divine 
germ  hath  all  potency  within  itself;  but  it  becometh 
expedient  that  it  be  plunged  into  low  conditions,  until 
through  the  exercise  of  lifting  itself  therefrom,  it  not 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS  343 

only  nourishes  its  own  strength,  but  finally  transforms 
its  base  environment. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  upon  which  Cassia's  let- 
ter had  been  received,  the  two  friends  felt  an  unwonted 
nearness  and  soul-contact.  Saulus  had  said  nothing 
of  the  contents  of  the  message,  but  Amoz  divined  the 
whole  matter  as  fully  as  if  he  had  read  it  word  for  word. 
Though  not  greatly  skilled  in  the  learning  of  the  schools, 
there  was  in  him  a  simple  spiritual  sensitiveness  which 
made  everything  plain.  His  life  with  Saulus  had  brought 
them  into  close  touch,  and  he  measurably  reflected  his 
leader's  experiences,  and  there  was  oneness  in  heart  and 
interest 

Saulus  was  not  cast  down  by  Cassia's  unequivocal  de- 
cision, but  instead  there  came  a  consciousness  of  free- 
dom and  spiritual  growth.  A  soul-burden  had  been  lifted. 
His  great  regard  for  Cassia  would  in  no  wise  be  lost, 
but  the  special  love  which  had  possessed  him  was  trans- 
formed into  simple  compassion.  Barred  as  he  was  from 
any  possibility  of  leading  her  into  the  light  himself,  she 
must  wait  for  the  slower  education  of  event  and  expe- 
rience. 

The  evening  being  cool,  the  two  mused  before  a  small 
fire,  for  the  service  of  which  the  spacious  cave  afforded 
ample  opportunity.  The  hour  grew  late,  and  they  long 
had  been  sitting  side  by  side,  no  word  being  spoken. 
Perfect  harmony  prevailed  with  a  stillness  that  seemed 
mystical. 

At  length  Amoz  opened  his  lips,  but  his  voice  had  a 
strange  sound.  Saulus  turned  and  looked  into  his  face. 
His  eyes  were  closed,  but  not  with  sleep.  There  was  a 


344  VICTOR  SERENUS 

calm,  sweet  expression  upon  his  countenance,  but  it  was 
unfamiliar — plainly  not  that  of  Amoz.  A  slight  tremoi 
shook  his  frame,  but  only  for  a  moment. 

But  harken !  what  saith  the  voice  ? 

"  Saulus,  behold  thou  art  my  beloved  brother!  " 

Saulus  drew  nearer,  and  warmly  grasped  the  open  hand 
which  was  extended  towards  him.  While  filled  with  won- 
der, there  was  nothing  to  disquiet  him.  He  saw  at  a 
glance  that  some  other  soul  possessed  the  body  of  his 
companion. 

"  The  words  of  thy  greeting  are  warm,  and  touch  my 
heart,  but  I  would  know  thy  name,  and  why  thou  hast 
come  to  me  ?  " 

"I  am  Stephanos!  aforetime  of  the  Holy  City.  I 
come  to  manifest  my  love,  and  give  thee  words  of  encour- 
agement! " 

There  flashed  before  the  mind  of  Saulus  the  Holy 
City!  the  rnob  in  the  synagogue!  the  throng,  which 
with  jeers  and  curses,  surged  up  the  hill  to  the  Sanhe- 
drin !  the  mockery  of  the  trial  in  the  Hall  of  the  Squares  ! 
the  heroic  young  victim  !  the  boiling  passion  !  the  tragedy 
without  the  walls !  the  angelic  face !  and  —  his  own 
leadership  ! 

"  O  my  God !  I  cannot  bear  it !  " 

He  bowed  his  face  to  the  ground. 

"  Be  of  good  cheer,  O  Saulus  !  I  greet  thee  only  with 
love !  " 

"  O  Stephanos  !  thou  here  !  and  thou  lovest  me  !  Am 
I  not  dreaming?  Canst  thou  forgive?  " 

"  I  am  here,  and  it  is  no  delusive  dream  !  From  the 
beginning  thou  hast  been  forgiven,  and  my  love  abideth 


A    MESSAGE   FJWM  STEPHANOS  345 

with  thee  !  Forget  all  that  is  behind,  and  press  forward, 
for  behold  great  things  wait  for  thee  !  " 

Continuing  the  warm  clasp  of  hands,  they  sat  down, 
face  to  face. 

"  And  thou  art  Stephanos !  what  joyful  tidings !  For 
a  season  my  guilty  soul  had  rest  neither  day  nor  night. 
But  now  thou  hast  confirmed  the  peace  which  hath  been 
growing  in  me  since  my  sojourn  in  the  wilderness." 

"I  have  knowledge  of  thy  good  estate.  Behold  thy 
soul  will  become  mighty,  and  thou  will  open  the  eyes 
of  much  people !  I  am  but  one  of  an  unseen  cloud  of 
witnesses  who  will  give  thee  strength  and  inspiration  !  " 

"  I  am  but  newly  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  have  much 
to  learn.  I  fain  would  know  how  thou  art  employed,  and 
how  thou  dost  come  to  me  ?  " 

"Behold  they,  who  while  in  the  fleshly  body  minis- 
tered to  the  needs  of  their  brethren,  continue  their  min- 
istry unbroken  by  the  change  of  condition.  There  are 
manifold  ways  in  which  we  of  the  Unseen  move  upon  the 
minds  of  men  which  language  would  fail  to  express,  and 
which  thou  couldst  not  now  fully  understand.  Love 
lendeth  us  wings,  and  so  far  as  the  souls  of  men  are 
open  to  the  entrance  of  the  truth,  we  are  able  to  reflect 
some  light  to  them.  But  the  multitude  are  ignorantly 
closed !  They  count  themselves  to  be  fleshly  in  being, 
therefore  the  things  of  the  Spirit  are  hidden  from  their 
eyes.  They  believe  not  in  ministering  spirits,  neither 
care  they  for  any  understanding  of  the  things  of  the 
higher  life." 

"  Do  all  who  have  passed  thither  engage  in  the  min- 
istry of  love  and  good- will  ?  " 


346  VICTOR  SERENUS. 

11  Nay !  There  is  a  great  throng  whom  no  man  can 
number  who  have  laid  off  the  flesh,  but  who  are  yet 
entangled  in  the  meshes  of  the  fleshly  mind !  They  are 
spirits  who  are  in  prison,  and  the  loving  guidance  of  the 
free  spirits  have  much  exercise  in  their  release." 

"  Hast  thou  a  body  and  members  when  thou  dost  not 
possess  the  form  of  Amoz  through  which  thou  speakest 
to  me  ? " 

"  Yea,  verily  !  Our  bodies,  though  lighter  than  air,  as 
known  to  you,  are  vastly  more  substantial  than  the  seen 
shadows  which  men  count  as  themselves.  It  is  only 
the  invisible  which  has  real  being !  The  seen  man  is 
but  an  incidental  manifestation  of  MAN  !  " 

"  I  behold  the  beauty  and  truth  of  thy  wisdom  !  Wilt 
thou  not  teach  me  further  ? " 

"  There  are  even  more  refined  bodies  than  ours ! 
When  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  behold  we  shall 
have  laid  off  these  for  those  that  are  still  more  internal 
and  subtle !  The  path  from  glory  to  glory  towards  the 
perfect  Love  is  ever  away  from  the  grosser  in  every 
degree.  But  that  which  is  gross  hath  its  place ;  for  the 
seed  of  the  divine  life  must  needs  have  an  early  planting 
in  coarse  soil,  that  through  the  exercise  of  its  growth 
back  towards  the  Father's  House  it  may  consciously  rec- 
ognize its  quality,  and  interpret  its  real  nature  !" 

"  Is  the  other  life  very  near  to  this?  " 

"  There  is  but  one  life,  but  it  hath  many  expressions. 
While  in  the  flesh,  the  quality  of  thought  and  mind  of 
each  is  closely  veiled  from  others,  but  here  the  intent  of 
the  heart  is  openly  manifest!  The  inner  character  stand- 
eth  out,  fully  rounded,  and  none  can  mistake  it!  But  in 


A   MESSAGE  FROM  STEPHANOS  347 

due  time  knowledge  increaseth,  and  those  who  are  lower 
are  taught  and  inspired  through  the  guidance  of  some 
who  already  have  attained  to  greater  power  and  glory." 

"  It  seemeth  that  all  things  work  together  for  good." 

"Thou  judgest  rightly!  We  live  in  Spirit;  for  God  is 
Spirit,  and  we  have  his  image,  whether  in  the  flesh  or 
out  of  it!  But  to  live  in  the  flesh  is  not  to  live  of  it! " 

"I  am  much  beholden  to  thee,  for  thou  hast  made 
many  mysteries  plain.  And  now  hast  thou  any  instruc- 
tions which  thou  wouldst  have  me  follow  ?  " 

"Nay.  Take  no  man  for  authority,  whether  he  be 
dwelling  in  the  seen  or  the  unseen  !  Men  may  aid  and 
cheer  and  teach  thee,  but  determination  cometh  from  thy 
free  will  when  illumined  by  the  inner  Word.  Follow  the 
divine  leading  within  thee,  and  thou  shalt  have  true  free- 
dom !  Behold  the  Anointed  Leader  —  the  Christ  —  must 
be  uncovered  in  every  soul !  My  spoken  words  are  at 
an  end.  Peace  and  joy  abide  with  thee,  and  to  Amoz 
blessing  and  good-will.  Thanks  be  to  him  for  the  service 
which  he  hath  rendered  us." 

A  mild  sweet  fragrance  and  light  filled  the  cave,  but 
soon  all  was  as  before. 


348  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

LEANDER   VISITS   A    MYSTIC    SHRINE 

REBECCA  made  her  way  homeward  in  a  state  of  pro- 
found bewilderment.  By  nature  placid,  intuitive,  and 
rarely  disturbed,  her  sweet  soul,  as  a  rule,  moved  with 
serenity  amid  the  turmoil  of  life's  experiences  and  ad- 
versities. 

But  could  it  be  that  the  noble  Serenus  was  the  guest 
of  that  Roman  of  tarnished  memory?  Could  light  and 
darkness  commingle?  It  seemed  a  strange  paradox. 

Having  not  long  since  returned  from  the  Holy  City, 
she  was  not  aware  of  the  great  change  which  had  taken 
place  in  the  character  back  of  that  stern  face,  nor  that  it 
now  belonged  to  the  Vice  Legate  of  Tarsus. 

Since  the  rescue  of  Rebecca  from  the  stampede  at  the 
great  celebration  of  the  Feast  of  Weeks  in  Jerusalem,  and 
the  conversation  with  her  benefactor,  Serenus,  to  her, 
had  stood  for  everything  that  was  worthy  and  of  good 
report.  She  also  remembered  his  lofty  and  quiet  dignity 
as  he  headed  the  notable  line  of  captives  upon  whom  she 
looked  down  from  the  house-top  when  they  were  led  to 
prison  by  Saulus.  The  devotion  of  Serenus  to  the  New 
Faith,  and  the  cheerfulness  with  which  he  endured  perse- 
cution for  its  sake,  had  left  a  picture  upon  her  mind  that 
could  never  be  effaced. 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         349 

Her  wonder  increased  when  she  thought  not  only  of 
the  apparent  intimacy  between  the  two,  but  also  at  the 
possible  position  of  Marcius,  as  indicated  by  the  impe- 
rial equipment.  But  her  wonted  serenity  was  soon  re- 
gained. She  instinctively  felt  the  power  of  goodness, 
and  that  however  it  might  be  explained,  Serenus,  in  the 
very  nature  of  the  case,  must  carry  a  powerful  benedic- 
tion wherever  he  went. 

She  also  had  noticed  Amabel,  and  although  not  recog- 
nizing her  as  the  daughter  of  Gamaliel,  inferred  that  she 
was  the  wife  of  Serenus.  As  this  conviction  flashed 
upon  her,  there  arose  for  a  single  moment  a  half  uncon- 
scious shadow  of  disappointment,  although  not  admitted 
even  to  herself. 

It  is  not  easy  for  the  human  mind  to  regard  virtue 
and  nobility  abstractly,  or  as  separate  from  the  per- 
sonality through  which  they  are  expressed.  But  the 
calm,  warm  sunlight  which  constantly  filled  the  soul  of 
Rebecca  quickly  dispelled  any  possible  mist.  While 
she  felt  that  the  few  words  Serenus  once  had  spoken 
to  her,  and  the  inspiration  of  his  presence  and  heroism, 
in  some  way  had  introduced  her  to  something  higher 
than  she  before  had  known,  there  was  nothing  which 
could  be  interpreted  as  of  the  nature  of  personal  love. 
He  only  had  been  the  instrument  in  stirring  the  strings 
of  her  higher  nature,  peradventure  to  some  invisible 
vibrations  of  the  New  Faith. 

Rebecca  always  had  been  an  enigma  to  her  people. 
Though  scrupulously  reared  in  the  observance  of  every 
requirement  of  the  most  orthodox  Judaism,  from  her 
very  youth  there  had  been  within  her  an  unfathomable 


35O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

reserve.  While  conforming  in  every  outward  require- 
ment to  that  which  was  expected  of  her,  there  was  a 
calm  but  strong  undercurrent  of  freedom,  and  a  thinly 
concealed  indifference  to  formalism,  which  had  been  a 
disquietude  to  Benoni,  and  an  offence  to  Saulus.  Her 
sojourn  in  the  Holy  City  had  perceptibly  developed  the 
essence  of  a  new  principle  in  her  inner  nature,  which 
before  had  been  little  more  than  latent.  Though  hav- 
ing but  the  slightest  contact  with  the  personal  expo- 
nents of  the  New  Faith  and  their  outward  teaching, 
she  instinctively  had  felt  something  of  its  beauty  and 
force.  But  the  more  it  had  been  repressed  by  the  in- 
fluences about  her,  the  more  it  gathered  volume. 

There  is  ever  an  unseen  moral  and  spiritual  atmos- 
phere in  which  vibrations  are  constant.  In  it  are  cur- 
rents and  eddies,  winds  and  calms,  heat  and  cold,  as 
truly  as  in  the  meteorological  realm  of  nature.  Sensi- 
tive souls,  like  invisible  barometers,  feel  and  register 
movements  and  tendencies  which  ordinarily  are  intan- 
gible. The  spread  of  pure  and  spiritual  Christianity 
during  the  time  of  the  Primitive  Church  and  immedi- 
ately succeeding  was  an  object  lesson  which  all  ages 
since  might  have  studied  with  profit.  It  was  perhaps 
due  more  to  an  unseen  vital  momentum  —  a  spiritual 
tidal  wave  —  than  the  outward  teaching  of  disciples  and 
missionaries.  Unweighed  by  dogmatism,  untrammelled 
by  ecclesiasticism,  and  free  from  rigid  formalism,  it, 
as  a  vital  force,  went  out  conquering  and  to  conquer. 
It  was  a  new  life  — good  news;  but  later  to  be  shorn 
of  its  spontaneity,  dispossessed  of  its  witness  of  the 
Spirit,  bereft  of  its  healing  potency  for  soul  and  body, 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         351 

and  deprived  of  its  innate  joyousness  through  usurped 
authority  and  burdensome  accretion.  Its  very  name 
came  to  signify  something  external  in  the  place  of  a 
living  principle. 

The  state  chariot  which  conveyed  the  little  party  from 
the  Nereid  circled  through  the  spacious  grounds  which 
surrounded  the  palace  of  Marcius,  and  all  alighted  at 
one  of  the  private  portals.  Serenus  and  Amabel  were 
conducted  into  one  of  the  open  courts,  where  they  re- 
mained until  suitable  apartments  were  made  ready.  A 
small  fountain  was  playing  in  the  centre,  surrounded 
by  flowering  plants  and  beautiful  statues. 

"  Behold  we  have  been  led  in  a  path  we  knew  not  of ! "  said 
Serenus ;  "  and  I  am  persuaded  that  good  will  come  of  it." 

Upon  their  arrival,  Leander  retired  to  his  own  rooms 
in  a  very  unenviable  frame  of  mind.  For  some  time  he 
had  consciously  been  losing  his  influence  with  Marcius, 
and  their  ways  were  rapidly  drifting  apart.  The  official 
duties  of  the  Vice  Legate  were  performed  with  fidelity, 
and  his  growing  nobility  of  character  and  public  com- 
mendation had  given  Leander  an  illy  concealed,  cynical 
jealousy.  But  so  far  the  fire  had  only  smouldered. 
Now  he  felt  that  in  the  interest  and  regard  of  Mar- 
cius he  was  thoroughly  supplanted.  Was  he,  who  for 
so  long  had  been  the  bosom  friend  and  adviser,  hence- 
forth to  be  left  out  of  the  account?  There  is  a  jeal- 
ousy not  born  of  sex  which  may  be  fed  until  it  grows 
in  intensity  almost  without  limit. 

Leander  finally  resolved  upon  an  interview  with  his 
old-time  friend.  He  found  him  unoccupied,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  unfold  his  grievances. 


352  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  If  I  may  presume  somewhat  upon  thy  former  friend- 
ship, I  would  have  private  converse  with  thee ! " 

Marcius  noted  the  thinly  concealed  suspicion  and 
cynicism  which  were  stirring  the  pulse  of  Leander,  but 
passing  them  by,  quietly  replied,  — 

"  Pray  unburden  thy  mind  ! " 

"  By  Pallas  !  I  begin  to  distrust  my  power  to  solve  a 
riddle  !  For  some  time  past  a  mystical  change  seems  to 
be  coming  upon  thee  which  I  am  unable  to  fathom ! 
Thou  hast  lost  thy  love  of  pleasure,  and  even  thy  de- 
votion to  the  gods.  In  a  word,  thou  art  in  danger  of 
becoming  a  victim  of  baseless  superstition." 

Marcius  was  astonished  at  the  bitterness  of  his  words, 
but  retorted  with  quiet  sarcasm,  — 

"Thy  wonted  poetic  grace  of  expression  seemeth  to 
have  deserted  thee !  Thy  speech  is  ungarnished,  if  not 
ungracious  !  If  a  change  hath  come  over  me,  it  need  be 
no  riddle  to  thee !  As  one  adds  to  his  years,  it  is  meet 
that  he  should  add  somewhat  to  his  wisdom." 

"  Shades  of  Pluto !  Dost  thou  call  the  babbling  of 
fools  wisdom?  Thou  hast  waded  in  the  shallow  sophis- 
tries of  so-called  philosophy  until  it  well  nigh  hath  made 
thee  an  anchorite  !  Thou  hast  deserted  thine  old  asso- 
ciates and  pleasures,  and  art  becoming  a  dreamer.  And 
now,  to  crown  thy  folly,  thou  hast  brought  contempt  upon 
thy  government  and  religion  by  making  this  pair  of  He- 
brew fanatics  thine  honored  guests." 

Marcius  was  unruffled  by  the  sharp  thrusts,  and  lis- 
tened much  as  he  would  to  the  scolding  of  a  petulant 
child. 

"Thy  chattering  doth  not  in  the  least  move  me  !     I 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         353 

can  well  dispense  with  thy  advice,  for  of  late  both  thy 
friendliness  and  wisdom  are  becoming  visibly  tarnished ! 
Would  to  the  gods  —  or  God  —  that  I  had  more  of  what 
thou  art  pleased  to  regard  as  Hebrew  fanaticism !  But  I 
would  have  thee  know  that  my  guests  are  in  no  wise  like 
the  Hebrews  of  Tarsus.  Their  philosophy  is  grand,  wise, 
beautiful,  and  I  honor  their  opinions,  and  will  know 
more  of  their  teaching.  It  will  be  but  a  waste  of  thy 
breath  to  try  to  dissuade  me  1 " 

"  And  suppose  it  become  known  that  the  Vice  Legate 
of  Tarsus  hath  forsworn  the  gods  of  the  city,  and  set  at 
naught  the  Roman  Pantheon  for  the  worship  of  fugitive 
and  unknown  gods  —  or  a  lone  god,  as  I  heard  thy  par- 
agon, Serenus,  set  forth  in  his  teaching !  One  would 
think  that  to  a  sane  Roman  patrician  such  vulgar  drivel 
and  low-bred  association  would  be  disgusting!" 

"Were  I  not  amused  at  thine  audacity,  and  compas- 
sionate of  thy  shallow  assumption,  I  should  make  com- 
ment upon  thy  growls  as  they  deserve.  Thy  unwonted 
denunciation  hath  even  dried  the  springs  of  poesy  which 
aforetime  hath  flown  in  a  deluge  from  thy  lips." 

"  Henceforth  I  abide  no  longer  under  thy  roof,  which 
is  now  devoted  to  the  shelter  of  vulgar  pretenders  who 
claim  all  wisdom.  By  the  right  arm  of  Hercules  !  thou 
wilt  yet  rue  the  day  when  thou  hast  preferred  the  friend- 
ship of  an  ass  in  a  lion's  skin  to  the  polish,  art,  and 
poetry  of  thy  Greek  companion  of  many  years ! 

"  I  spread  my  sail,  and  float  away 

From  a  shore  grown  now  sterile  and  hateful ; 

I  end  this  play,  and  start  to-day 

For  freedom,  I  care  not  how  tateful!" 


354  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Broken  loose  again !  There  is  nothing  here  to  compel 
the  presence  of  thy  muse  or  thyself  !  I  give  thee  fare- 
well ! " 

Marcius  offered  a  dignified  parting  salutation,  which 
Leander  turned  his  back  upon,  and  hastily  left  the  room. 

A  few  days  afterwards  there  occurred  one  of  those 
religious  upheavals  which  at  intervals  find  vent  in  popu- 
lar tumult.  The  number  of  Jews  in  Tarsus  had  steadily 
increased,  and  their  intolerant  and  exclusive  spirit,  and 
the  contempt  which  some  of  their  number  poured  upon 
the  Tarsian  temple  service,  had  aroused  a  bitter  prejudice 
and  growing  hostility.  This  feeling,  like  a  hidden  fire, 
for  some  time  had  smouldered,  only  waiting  for  some 
unusual  opportunity  to  burst  into  open  flame.  While 
the  Roman  authority  and  law,  at  that  period,  provided 
for  religious  toleration  in  Tarsus,  it  could  take  no  cog- 
nizance of  the  intense  bitterness,  as  no  overt  act  had 
occurred  to  warrant  interference. 

It  was  a  Tarsian  holiday,  and  the  occasion  of  an  im- 
portant festival  to  Apollo.  For  three  days  two  children 
of  the  family  of  one  of  the  priests  of  the  Temple  had 
been  missing,  and  a  rumor  obtained  circulation  among 
the  lower  orders  of  the  people  that  the  Hebrews  had 
stolen  them,  and  sacrificed  their  bodies  upon  an  altar 
for  a  burnt-offering.  There  was  no  foundation  for  the 
report,  but  notwithstanding  its  absurdity,  it  was  widely 
accepted. 

Tarsus  was  astir.  The  streets  were  picturesque  with 
decoration,  and  lively  with  moving  crowds  and  proces- 
sions, and  all  through  the  day  the  Temple  and  its  great 
garden  were  thronged  with  worshippers  and  pleasure- 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         355 

seekers.  Every  one  was  in  festal  costume,  and  innume 
rable  small  companies  were  waving  banners,  garlands, 
and  palm-branches,  and  marching  to  and  fro  with  shouts 
and  laughter.  At  the  Temple  there  were  various  cere- 
monies, oracular  messages,  predictions,  and  idolatries  in 
progress,  all  forming  a  combination  such  as  only  a  great 
Oriental  metropolis  of  the  period  could  offer. 

The  brazen  gates  which  led  through  marble  arches  into 
the  Temple  grounds  were  flung  wide  open,  and  a  continu- 
ous human  current,  seemingly  from  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  poured  in.  Parallel  roads,  some  for  those  on  foot 
and  others  for  horsemen  or  chariots,  led  inward  toward 
the  intricate  maze  of  summer-houses,  bowers,  ponds, 
lotos-groves,  and  rose-trees,  which  occupied  the  heart  of 
the  great  paradisiacal  resort.  The  number  and  variety 
of  fountains  at  play  were  amazing,  and  the  long  rows  of 
statues,  arches,  and  booths  stretched  away  in  the  dis- 
tance in  bewildering  profusion.  Processions  of  horsemen 
in  rich  costume  and  brilliant  caparisonment,  each  carry- 
ing offerings  for  the  various  altars,  swept  in  to  join  the 
great  concourse.  All  ages,  sexes,  and  conditions  lent 
their  contributions  to  the  great  changing  panorama  of 
color  and  beauty.  There  were  uniformed  companies,  in 
white  or  variegated  colors,  carrying  flags,  garlands,  or  cen- 
sers, keeping  step  to  the  music  of  hymns  or  the  rhythm 
of  flutes  and  taborets,  the  combination  of  intoxicating 
strains  forming  a  vast  confused  symphony. 

Upon  a  broad  marble  pavement  of  white  and  black  de- 
sign near  the  centre  of  the  widespread  grounds  there  were 
groups  of  gay  dancers,  the  stroke  of  whose  light  sandalled 
feet  kept  time  to  the  touch  of  small  drums  and  tambou- 


356  VICTOR  SERENUS 

rines.  With  hair  floating  free,  bare  shoulders  and  necks, 
and  robes  of  diaphanous  texture,  the  voluptuousness  of 
their  movements  can  scarcely  be  told.  They  were  charm- 
ers, —  priestesses  belonging  to  the  Temple,  each  having 
some  part  in  its  multiform  mystical  service.  They  were 
chanting  a  hymn  of  Eros. 

"  Love,  sons  of  earth !  I  am  the  Power  of  Love  ! 
Eldest  of  all  the  gods,  with  Chaos  born  ; 
My  smile  sheds  light  along  the  courts  above, 
My  kisses  wake  the  eyelids  of  the  Morn." 

Some  of  the  trees  of  the  groves  were  large,  —  tall  branch- 
ing cedars,  and  evergreen  oaks  with  glossy  luxurious  foli- 
age, casting  a  cool  seductive  shade  upon  the  fresh  clean 
grass.  There  were  sycamores,  laurels,  mulberries,  citron- 
trees,  and  terebinths,  whose  blossoms  loaded  the  air  with 
a  spicy  intoxication.  The  thickets  were  full  of  birds,  so 
tame  as  to  be  fearless.  The  cooing  of  turtle-doves,  the 
song  of  nightingale,  and  the  whistle  of  quail,  added  to 
the  unending  composite  of  sweet  sounds,  shapes,  and 
colors.  The  exuberance  of  nature,  the  gracefulness  of 
art,  and  all  that  the  genius  of  man  could  invent,  com- 
bined as  if  to  surfeit  the  human  senses. 

Subtly  intermingled  with  the  degeneracy  of  such  an 
age  there  was  a  blind  but  ever-living  impulse  toward 
some  kind  of  worship.  Man's  religious  proclivities  are 
so  strong  that  their  exercise  will  find  a  place,  even  if  it 
be  no  higher  than  his  own  animal  instincts. 

From  the  standpoints  of  other  periods,  it  is  far  from 
easy  to  unravel  the  fundamental  strands  of  life  in  any 
given  time,  and  justly  interpret  its  underlying  spirit. 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         357 

The  autocratic  rule  of  the  sensuous  consciousness  is  yet 
everywhere  supreme,  but  its  outward  manifestations  con- 
stantly take  new  shape.  By  the  unreliable  measurements 
of  men,  the  ethics  of  one  age  is  made  the  standard  of 
judgment  for  those  of  others.  The  radical  defect  —  all- 
prevailing  materialism — everywhere  remains,  but  each 
age  shifts  its  moral  emphasis  so  that  its  own  methods 
for  the  adoration  of  the  lower  selfhood  seem  good  in  its 
own  eyes.  Though  the  period  in  review  was  eminent  for 
its  moral  corruption,  the  worship  of  the  bodily  creature, 
in  some  form,  after  nineteen  hundred  years  of  added 
experience  and  supposed  wisdom  still  remains  domi- 
nant. Veils  of  outward  legality  are  everywhere  drawn, 
and  external  conformity  to  undoubted  standards  more 
general  —  but  what  of  the  great  underlying  sea  of  human 
consciousness?  The  true  barometric  test  of  the  moral 
and  spiritual  essence  of  any  and  all  ages  is  the  quality 
of  thought-occupation,  whether  the  same  be  boldly  ex- 
pressed or  subtly  hidden.  The  world  is  full  of  veneers, 
and  each  eye  complacently  looks  upon  those  of  its  own 
time,  while  it  ruthlessly  strips  off  all  others.  The 
twenty-first  century  will  doubtless  be  as  much  shocked 
by  the  selfishness,  pride,  greed,  and  mad  rush  for  place 
and  power,  which  pertain  to  the  nineteenth,  as  is  the 
latter  at  the  more  open  corruption  of  the  age  under 
review. 

Leander's  break  with  Marcius  thoroughly  embittered 
his  morbid  jealousy,  and  snapped  the  only  cord  of  out- 
ward restraint  which  in  any  degree  had  held  him.  As 
a  friend  and  guest  of  the  Vice  Legate,  possessed  of  a 
dashing  and  poetic  spirit,  he  was  well  known  in  the  gay 


358  VICTOR  SERENUS 

society  of  the  Cilician  metropolis.  Vain  of  person,  and 
proud  of  his  dramatic  accomplishments,  he  brought  them 
into  exercise  on  every  possible  occasion.  His  delicate 
complexion,  wavy  brown  hair,  and  dark  blue  eyes,  with 
an  easy  gracefulness  which  characterized  every  move- 
ment, gave  him  a  pleasing  personality  which  was  his 
special  capital.  He  spent  much  time  at  the  baths,  and 
commanded  their  perfect  service.  Their  oils,  polishing, 
and  perfume  in  some  measure  concealed  the  flight  of 
years  under  a  youthful  veneer  of  pearly  whiteness.  But 
the  natural  sparkle  of  his  eyes  was  growing  dull,  and  the 
open,  warm,  and  artless  temper  of  earlier  life  had  become 
clouded  with  cynicism  and  acerbity. 

His  richly  decorated  chariot,  which  was  drawn  by 
three  snowy  white  horses  abreast,  always  drew  a  gaping 
crowd  as  it  dashed  through  the  Tarsian  thoroughfares. 
His  especial  pride  was  to  be  regarded  as  the  arbiter  ele- 
gantiarum  of  the  city.  His  more  immediate  circle  of 
friends  was  often  invited  to  his  entertainments,  which 
consisted  chiefly  of  his  own  recitations  of  Greek  poetry 
and  tragedy.  They  frequently  became  tiresome,  but  as 
his  fondness  for  applause  was  notorious,  it  was  sarcas- 
tically bestowed  ad  nauseam.  He  entered  with  the  ut- 
most abandon  into  every  spectacular  display  or  ceremony, 
his  fondness  for  dramatic  art  thereby  receiving  exercise 
and  stimulation.  Before  ordering  his  chariot  for  his 
visit  to  the  festival  he  sat  down  to  warm  himself  with  a 
deep  draft  of  spiced  Falernian.  It  came  strongly  to 
mind  that  on  many  similar  occasions  he  had  started 
with  Marcius  at  his  side.  Now  he  was  to  go  alone. 

During  every  hour  since  their  last  interview  his  anger 


LEANDER    VISITS  A    MYSTIC  SHRINE          359 

had  increased.  He,  the  life-long  friend,  cast  off  for  an 
obscure  Hebrew  I  Impatience  waxed  hot,  until  his  feel- 
ing rapidly  became  absolute  hatred.  In  some  way  he 
would  have  revenge  —  bitter  revenge.  Was  there  not 
some  possible  means  by  which  he  could  despoil  Marcius 
of  his  official  position,  and  rob  him  of  his  reputation? 
But  his  popularity  and  power  made  it  utterly  inexpedient 
to  declare  open  enmity.  Leander  would  bide  his  time, 
and  find  a  plan  to  secretly  revenge  himself,  and  never 
rest  easy  until  the  downfall  of  the  Vice  Legate  was  com- 
passed. As  for  Serenus  and  Amabel,  they  were  beneath 
contempt. 

Wrath  or  jealousy  that  is  nursed  grows  apace,  and  the 
enmity  of  Leander  would  have  sanctioned  the  murder 
of  Marcius,  if  it  could  be  brought  about  without  any 
finger  of  suspicion  being  pointed  toward  him. 

But  it  was  time  to  depart.  His  chariot  was  waiting; 
and  seizing  the  reins  of  his  noble  steeds,  he  joined  the 
great  current  which  flowed  towards  the  Temple  and  its 
spacious  enclosure.  Arriving  in  due  time,  he  entered 
by  the  most  prominent  triumphal  gateway,  and  after 
ostentatiously  driving  several  times  around  the  broad 
circular  highway,  left  his  chariot  with  an  attendant,  in 
order  more  freely  to  enjoy  the  sights  and  sounds,  and 
indulge  in  the  pleasures  of  the  vast  enclosure.  He  found 
two  or  three  friends,  and  with  them  joined  in  some  of  the 
sports  and  games.  But  after  a  time,  wearying  of  these, 
they  came  upon  a  large  booth  richly  ornamented  with 
occult  art,  having  an  inscription  over  the  entrance :  — 

"HOUSE   OF   MAGIC   AND   DIVINATION." 


360  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Entering,  they  found  themselves  in  the  spacious  atrium, 
where  each  visitor  waited  his  turn,  and  made  his  choice 
as  to  which  of  the  divers  inner  mysteries  he  would  con- 
sult. Out  of  this  large  reception-room  many  portals 
opened  which  penetrated  to  unknown  interiors  of  en- 
chantment and  sorcery.  The  peculiar  class  to  which 
each  belonged  was  indicated  by  occult  emblems  or  caba- 
listic signs  inscribed  upon  the  various  oval  valves  that 
opened  farther  inward.  An  attending  magician  inter- 
preted them.  One  led  to  a  wizard's  cave  of  spells  and 
incantations;  another  to  realms  where  converse  with 
shades  was  held;  another  to  oracular  answers  and  pre- 
dictions; another  to  charms  for  heal  ing;  another  to  the 
furnishing  of  love  philters ;  and  finally,  one  was  given  to 
curses  and  horrors. 

Leander  chose  the  last  named.  His  hatred  towards 
Marcius  flashed  up  as  he  saw  the  symbols,  and  he  would 
know  the  mystery,  and  perchance  an  instrument  for  enmity. 

"I  fear  neither  gods  nor  men!  "  he  exclaimed;  "and  I 
will  acquaint  myself  with  the  worst." 

His  friends  sought  enchantments  of  the  milder  forms. 

He  was  in  an  impatient  mood,  but  had  not  long  to 
wait  when  the  curious  valve  leading  to  the  department 
last  named  swung  open  of  its  own  accord,  and  a  hoarse 
voice  from  within,  though  seemingly  very  distant,  cried, — 

"ENTER   THOU   THE   MYSTIC   SHRINE!" 

He  passed  in,  and  the  valve  closed  behind  him.  He 
found  himself  in  a  dimly  lighted,  narrow  passage-way, 
which  he  followed,  that  led  under  ground  in  mazy,  sinu- 
ous fashion,  seemingly  without  end.  He  smiled  at  the 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         361 

slight  weird  feeling  which  stole  upon  him,  but  pushed 
on.  He  feared  nothing,  for  he  believed  nothing.  There 
were  no  such  things  as  visions,  spectres,  or  shades.  He 
had  come  for  amusement — or  rather,  if  possible,  to  find 
a  way  of  revenge. 

At  length  the  passage  widened  into  a  cave  of  in- 
definite dimensions.  It  was  but  dimly  lighted  by  a 
small  fire  in  a  recess  of  jagged  rocks.  The  walls  of 
the  cave  in  other  directions  seemed  to  be  composed 
of  an  indefinable  mist  of  unknown  depth,  upon  which 
flashed  a  dim  tremulous  phosphorescence.  Over  the  fire 
was  suspended  a  caldron,  the  contents  of  which  seethed 
and  bubbled,  emitting  a  pungent  vapor  that  wreathed  it- 
oelf  overhead  in  illy  defined  forms  that  seemed  to  crawl 
and  leap.  Upon  a  shelf  suspended  in  mid-air  without 
visible  support,  an  assortment  of  tiny  phials  containing 
various  colored  liquids  gleamed  with  an  unearthly  light, 
and  near  by  hung  small  bundles  of  dried  herbs  and  roots. 
Upon  a  rough  iron  tripod  stood  a  grotesque  statue  of 
the  Hecate,  through  whose  eyes  shone  a  dull  red  light, 
as  if  they  were  heated  by  an  inner  flame.  Several  skele- 
tons and  many  more  skulls  were  arranged  at  different 
angles,  the  eyes  of  which  remained  in  their  places, 
shining  with  a  red  light  of  their  own.  Leander  was 
the  cynosure  of  them  all. 

He  looked  about  him  for  a  moment,  taking  in  the 
various  details,  and  then  burst  into  loud  laughter. 

"  By  Bacchus !  an  artistic  combination  to  impress  in- 
fants! But  where,  oh,  where,  lingereth  the  presiding 
siren?  The  combination  seemeth  to  run  itself!  Come 
out !  Thy  caldron  needs  stirring !  " 


362  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Then  he  gave  another  hearty  laugh  at  his  own  wit  and 
eloquence.  The  reverberations  which  indefinitely  re- 
peated themselves  through  the  distant  passages  sounded 
like  a  multitudinous  mocking  chorus. 

"  Shades  of  Tophet !  the  acoustic  properties  are  well 
provided  !  " 

He  gave  another  loud  call  for  the  sorceress  in  charge. 
The  sound  of  his  voice  seemed  split  into  a  hundred 
fragments  —  a  chaos  of  weird  echoes  upon  all  keys. 

"Go  on  with  your  cackling!  I  welcome  every  demon 
that  sails  his  bark  upon  the  Cocytus !  " 

But  as  a  female  form  of  gigantic  proportions  slowly 
emerged  from  the  background,  his  heart  gave  a  leap. 

Covering  her  dishevelled  gray  locks  was  a  tall,  pointed 
red  turban ;  her  mouth,  partly  open,  showed  two  irregu- 
lar rows  of  long,  dark  teeth,  and  her  large  stony  eyes 
were  fastened  upon  him  with  a  freezing  stare.  Her 
features  were  ashy  gray  and  unearthly. 

But  in  spite  of  appearances,  Leander  gathered  him- 
self together,  and  with  a  chuckle  exclaimed,  — 

"By  the  thirst  of  Bacchus!  I  adjudge  this  a  strong 
and  artistic  stage-setting  for  a  Greek  tragedy!" 

Then,  striking  an  attitude,  he  began,  in  impassioned 
style,  to  recite  some  lines  from  one  of  the  dramas  of 
Sophocles. 

After  listening  a  while  the  horrible  gigantic  Shape 
began  slowly  to  turn  away,  and  exclaimed  in  hoarse, 
hollow  tones,  — 

"  Enough  !    I  surrender  !  " 

Leander  neatly  turned  the  exclamation  into  a  com- 
pliment. 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         363 

"  My  oratory  conquers  gods,  men,   or  she-devils ! " 

He  then  addressed  the  retiring  Shape. 

"Stay,  I  pray  thee!  Thou  art  not  comely,  but  per- 
adventure  thou  canst  serve  me!  I  would  have  none 
of  thy  incantations,  but  thou  hast  in  store  a  variety  of 
potions.  Art  thou  skilled  in  their  preparation?" 

"For  more  than  twoscore  years  have  I  distilled  and 
cunningly  concentrated  the  occult  and  deadly  forces  of 
nature,"  said  the  Shape  with  a  ghastly  grin.  "I  am 
a  daughter  of  the  Etrurians,  and  their  wonderful  secrets 
and  enchantments  have  come  down  to  me  from  the  dim 
past.  I  have  philters  for  the  loveless,  promises  of  treas- 
ure for  the  needy,  and  potions  for  revenge,  for  tragedy, 
for  blight,  and  for  destiny!  What  wilt  thou?" 

"  Hast  thou  a  blight  which  will  very  slowly,  but  with 
grim  certainty,  dull  the  reason,  destroy  the  wisdom, 
and  hasten  to  decay  before  the  wonted  time  all  the 
faculties  of  the  Mind?" 

The  Shape  stretched  out  her  long,  bony  fingers  and 
took  one  of  the  small  phials,  and  holding  it  before  her 
stony  eyes,  replied,  — 

"In  color  and  taste  like  water;  yet  he  who  takes  it  in 
any  form,  in  three  years  will  become  a  drivelling  idiot! 
The  brain!  the  brain!  It  slowly  scorches,  and  nothing 
can  put  it  out!  It  will  mingle  with  water  or  even  Faler- 
nian ! " 

The  Shape  gave  a  malicious  leer. 

"I  believe  neither  in  shades,  spectres,  nor  enchant- 
ments, but  of  chemistry  am  persuaded!  But  how  can  I 
be  assured  of  what  thou  sayest  ? " 

"  I  will  give  thee  a  sign  of  my  power!  " 


364  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Asthouwilt." 

The  Shape,  taking  an  empty  phial,  poured  into  it  a 
portion  of  the  contents  of  several  of  the  dark  liquids,  and 
the  mixture  was  clear  and  colorless. 

"By  the  eyes  of  yonder  Hecate,  thou  hast  power!  and 
now  the  price  of  thy  potion  ? " 

"From  thee,  O  dramatic  ranter,  a  full  purse  of  gold, 
for  thou  art  rich." 

Leander  drew  from  an  inner  secret  fold  in  his  tunic  a 
small  purse  filled  with  gold,  and  taking  the  phial,  care- 
fully deposited  it  in  the  place  from  whence  he  had  taken 
the  coin. 

He  chuckled  to  himself  as  he  thought  of  his  new-found 
secret  for  revenge  upon  Marcius,  and  was  about  to  turn 
towards  the  entrance  when  the  hag  interposed,  — 

"A  mutual  oath  of  secrecy  before  thou  departest." 

Then  she  grasped  his  hand  with  her  long,  bony  fingers, 
and  placing  it  upon  the  head  of  the  Hecate  of  the  burning 
eyes,  covered  it  with  one  of  her  own. 

"  Repeat  after  me !  " 

Leander  repeated  the  oath. 

"  May  all  the  gods  curse  me,  if  I  reveal  aught  of  this 
transaction !  " 

Leander  turned  to  go. 

"  Thou  art  the  first  who  hath  entered  here  and  not 
quailed !  Farewell !  " 

Leander  soon  found  himself  again  amid  the  crowds  in 
the  sunshine  of  the  garden. 

Was  it  a  dream? 

He  thrust  his  hand  under  the  secret  fold  of  his  tunic, 
and  the  phial  was  there. 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE         365 

It  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  streets,  lead- 
ing from  the  Temple  and  its  grounds  towards  the  lower 
part  of  the  city,  were  filled  with  groups  of  gay  revellers 
on  their  return.  There  was  an  easy  air  of  careless  enjoy- 
ment which  possessed  all  classes  and  ages.  Young  men 
and  boys  were  waving  banners  or  singing  songs,  and  the 
flitting  forms  of  women  and  girls  in  picturesque  attire, 
with  their  ringing,  playful  laughter,  were  everywhere  to 
be  seen. 

In  one  of  the  main  thoroughfares  where  these  merry 
throngs  were  passing  was  the  largest  Jewish  synagogue 
in  Tarsus.  During  the  afternoon  there  had  been  a  spe- 
cial religious  ceremonial,  and  the  congregation  emerged 
in  a  mass  just  as  some  of  the  crowds  from  the  festival 
were  passing  by.  The  recent  growing  prejudice,  but 
more  especially  the  rumor  of  the  missing  children,  had 
stirred  up  a  bitter  hatred  which  needed  but  a  spark  to 
cause  an  outburst  of  open  warfare. 

No  greater  contrast  could  be  imagined  in  appearance 
than  that  between  the  lively  votaries  of  the  Tarsian  dei- 
ties, and  the  stiff,  conceited,  and  austere  Hebrews.  The 
disciples  of  the  synagogue  wore  long  robes  with  broad 
borders  and  girdles,  and  mingled  here  and  there  with 
them  were  priests  with  tall  cup-shaped  turbans,  breast- 
plates, and  broad  phylacteries.  Their  measured  pace, 
solemn  countenances,  and  proud,  exclusive  bearing 
seemed  like  a  spoken  rebuke  and  even  an  insult  to  the 
great  current  which  was  flowing  by  from  the  Temple  of 
Apollo.  Some  who  were  nearest  began  to  utter  derisive 
cries  against  the  Israelites. 

"Down  with  the  bigots!  " 


366  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Behold  the  murderers,  who  take  children  for  burnt- 
offerings  !  " 

"  Drive  them  from  Tarsus !  " 

"  The  gods  curse  them ! " 

"  Woe  to  the  circumcision ! " 

"  Hurl  them  into  the  Cydnus ! " 

These  were  among  the  cries  which  fell  upon  the  ears 
of  the  Hebrews  as  they  poured  out  of  the  synagogue. 
The  excitement  grew  apace,  and  the  rabble  began  to 
close  in  around  them,  hurling  such  missiles  as  were  at 
hand. 

Soon  the  attack  became  general. 

Turbans,  breastplates,  phylacteries,  and  all  other  dis- 
tinctive insignia  were  stripped  off,  and  many  men, 
women,  and  children  were  beaten  and  wounded.  The 
mette,  so  quickly  started,  became  general,  and  spread 
over  a  large  space.  The  cry,  "Murderers  of  children!" 
was  taken  up  in  every  direction. 

For  a  while  the  Jews  rallied,  and  essayed  to  defend 
themselves,  but  being  overwhelmingly  outnumbered, 
began  to  scatter  and  flee  as  best  they  could.  Some 
escaped  through  side  streets  and  lanes,  and  many  were 
borne  down,  bleeding  and  wounded. 

Rebecca  was  among  the  number.  Though  caring 
little  for  the  ceremonials  of  her  people,  she  still  out- 
wardly observed  them  from  strength  of  habit  and  asso- 
ciation, and  in  compliance  with  the  earnest  requests  of 
her  father. 

In  the  great  tumult  she  became  separated  from  all 
her  friends,  and  twice  was  thrown  down  and  trampled 
upon.  At  length,  with  torn  garments  and  her  -beauti- 


LEANDER    VISITS  A   MYSTIC  SHRINE          367 

ful  hair  streaming  behind,  she  darted  through  a  nar- 
row passage  into  an  open  square,  still  followed  by  a 
small  rabble  of  the  lowest  class. 

Marcius  had  taken  no  notice  of  the  festival,  he  and 
Serenus  having  gone  upon  a  drive  up  the  right  bank 
of  the  Cydnus.  They  were  returning  when  rumors  of 
the  outbreak  came  to  their  ears.  Marcius  hurried  on 
in  order  to  exercise  his  authority  in  its  suppression. 

They  quickly  turned  a  corner,  when  at  a  little  dis- 
tance a  dishevelled  woman  was  seen  running  rapidly 
toward  them,  screaming,  and  closely  followed  by  a  mob. 
She  was  faint  and  ready  to  fall;  but  seeing,  though 
not  recognizing  them,  besought  their  aid. 

Marcius  drove  rapidly  forward,  standing  with  whip  in 
hand,  and  with  an  air  of  authority  demanded  order. 

"Back!  I  say,  and  leave  her  alone!  Disperse,  ye 
rioters!  " 

As  she  came  near,  Serenus  caught  a  full  view  of  her 
beautiful  face,  and  could  not  be  mistaken. 

"As  I  live,   it  is  Rebecca!" 

Marcius  stopped  his  horses,  announced  his  office,  and 
the  mob  quickly  melted  away.  Then  lifting  the  ex- 
hausted Rebecca  into  the  carriage  with  them,  Marcius 
drove  rapidly  to  his  palace. 

They  tenderly  bore  her  unconscious  form  within,  and 
deposited  it  in  the  apartments  of  Serenus,  in  the  care 
of  Amabel. 


368  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

CHANGES    OF    SOUL-COLOR 

The  links  of  circumstance  are  securely  welded  into  the  chain  of  life 
so  that  none  can  be  lost  or  missed.  The  effect  of  to-day  is  only  trans- 
muted into  the  cause  of  to-morrow. 

MARCIUS  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  face  of  Re- 
becca. There  was  an  indefinable  peculiarity  about  her 
charming  features  which  the  flight  of  years  had  not 
effaced.  But  when,  where,  or  under  what  circumstances 
he  had  seen  her,  he  was  utterly  at  a  loss  to  conceive. 

From  the  moment  of  her  rescue  from  the  mob,  until 
with  the  help  of  Serenus  he  delivered  her  to  the  care 
of  Amabel,  he  seemed  to  be  under  a  peculiar  abstrac- 
tion. But  mingled  with  an  indefinable  shock  at  a  sense 
of  some  mysterious  recognition,  there  was  a  surprise, 
even  under  the  untoward  circumstances,  at  her  unwonted 
beauty  and  evident  refinement.  His  peculiar  feelings 
were  an  enigma  to  himself.  Why  should  one  of  a  race  so 
generally  disesteemed,  even  though  comely,  so  move  him? 

The  injuries  which  Rebecca  had  received  at  the  hands 
of  the  mob  proved  to  be  severe.  After  attending  to  im- 
mediate requirements  for  her  relief,  Serenus  proceeded 
to  acquaint  her  parents  concerning  her.  Remembering 
that  she  had  made  known  to  him  while  in  Jerusalem  that 
she  was  the  daughter  of  Benoni,  he  hastened  to  find  him. 


CHANGES   OF  SOUL-COLOR  369 

As  the  father  was  one  of  the  more  prominent  of  the 
Hebrew  citizens  of  Tarsus,  Serenus  found  it  easy  to 
ascertain  his  place  of  abode.  Pursuing  a  thoroughfare 
which  led  to  the  Orontes  Gate,  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  the  city,  he  soon  approached  the  family  domicile. 
Upon  the  outside  all  was  peaceful  and  serene.  The 
broad  terraces  were  dotted  with  clusters  of  flowering 
plants  and  shrubs  which  filled  the  air  with  their  fra- 
grance. The  silvery  Cydnus  lay  spread  out  in  the  near 
foreground,  and  winding  paths,  with  flights  of  steps,  led 
directly  down  to  the  shore.  The  house,  Hebraic  in 
design,  was  simply  though  rather  richly  embellished  by 
symbolic  emblems  peculiar  to  the  Chosen  People,  and 
Serenus  was  impressed  by  the  beauty  and  taste  every- 
where evident. 

The  door  was  opened  in  response  to  his  knock,  and 
upon  entering  he  found  great  sorrow  and  confusion. 
Benoni  and  his  wife  had  barely  escaped  from  the  mob, 
and  had  reached  home  but  a  short  time  before  bruised 
and  exhausted.  But  forgetting  themselves,  they  were 
bitterly  bewailing  the  loss  of  Rebecca,  supposing  that 
she  had  perished  in  the  street. 

"  Peace  be  unto  this  house !  In  the  midst  of  your 
affliction  I  bring  good  tidings ! "  said  Serenus  after  his 
hasty  but  warm  salutation.  "I  am  a  Hebrew,  lately 
arrived  from  the  Holy  City,  and  have  much  joy  in  mak- 
ing known  to  you  that  your  daughter  hath  been  saved 
from  the  rabble." 

Benoni  closely  scanned  the  tall,  graceful  form  and 
clear,  handsome  face  of  Serenus,  and  they  brought  a 
terrible  scene  of  the  past  vividly  to  his  memory. 


3/0  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  The  God  of  Israel  be  praised  !  I  shall  never  forget 
thee !  Thou  art  again  a  minister  of  mercy,  and  I  thank 
thee  for  thy  compassion." 

"Thou  dost  remember  my  face?;> 

"  Did  I  not  behold  thee  in  the  Temple-court,  when  in 
the  mad  panic  thou  didst  lift  Rebecca  from  my  shoul- 
ders and  bear  her  to  a  place  of  safety?  Did  not  mine 
eyes  see  thee  from  the  house-top  in  the  line  of  captives 
on  thy  way  to  prison,  when  Almon,  mine  host,  made 
known  to  me  that  thou  wert  he  who  saved  Saulus  from 
the  thieves  and  brought  him  to  the  inn  at  midnight? 
May  thou  be  doubly  blessed !  But  I  am  grieved  on  thy 
behalf !  How  could  Saulus  count  thee  —  as  —  his  — 
enemy  ?  " 

"I  beseech  thee  think  no  more  of  the  things  of  the 
past.  I  have  come  to  inform  thee  that  thy  daughter 
Rebecca  is  at  the  palace  of  the  Vice  Legate,  tenderly 
cared  for  by  my  wife  Amabel  ?  " 

"  Thou  dost  gladden  my  heart !  And  hast  thou  assu- 
rance that  she  is  not  sorely  wounded  ?  " 

"Recovery  will  come  in  due  season,  but  perchance 
for  a  few  days  it  may  be  prudent  that  she  remain." 

Rebecca's  mother  also  poured  out  her  thanks  to  Se- 
renus,  but  being  overcome  by  faintness,  was  obliged  to 
seek  retirement. 

Benoni  was  in  a  state  of  great  perplexity.  The  events 
of  the  past  in  the  Holy  City,  and  the  unexpected  riotous 
outbreak  of  the  day,  filled  him  with  questioning  and  dis- 
quietude, which  were  increased  by  the  sudden  appear- 
ance of  Serenus.  Thrice  the  guardian  angel  of  his  family, 
could  this  man  be  "  the  enemy  of  Saulus  "  ?  Moreover, 


CHANGES    OF  SOUL-COLOR  371 

was  it  possible  that  he  was  the  betrayer  of  the  religion  of 
his  fathers  ? 

While  rejoicing  over  the  escape  of  Rebecca,  and  feel- 
ing grateful  for  the  past  and  present  kindness  of  Serenus, 
a  current  of  the  bitterness  and  prejudice  which  possessed 
him  at  Jerusalem  momentarily  made  itself  felt.  Too 
weak  also  from  the  terrible  experience  of  the  day  to  visit 
Rebecca,  he  was  greatly  troubled,  and  bowed  his  head 
in  silence  and  tears. 

After  a  little  delay,  Serenus  uttered  a  few  warm  words 
of  encouragement,  and  started  to  take  his  leave,  promising 
to  come  again  on  the  morrow  and  bring  further  tidings 
of  Rebecca,  and  peradventure  perform  any  other  service. 

Then  Benoni  relented  and  aroused  himself. 

"  Tarry  for  a  little,  I  pray  thee,  that  we  may  have  fur- 
ther converse." 

Serenus  again  seated  himself  by  his  side,  gently  taking 
one  of  his  hands  in  his  own,  as  if  he  would  soothe  his 
distresses. 

"Behold  our  many  trials  work  together  for  good!  Thy 
daughter  will  be  restored,  and  thou  made  glad!  " 

The  hardness  of  Benoni  melted  before  the  friendly 
warmth  of  Serenus. 

"  Thanks  be  to  thee  for  thy  words  of  comfort.  Behold 
thou  didst  save  both  Saulus  and  Rebecca  from  the  hand 
of  the  destroyer;  yea,  twice  thou  hast  given  back  my 
daughter,  and  I  love  and  honor  thee ! " 

"Thou  dost  commend  me  overmuch!  To  Marcius, 
the  Vice  Legate,  is  due  the  rescue  of  Rebecca  from  the 
hands  of  the  rabble.  He  is  a  noble  Roman,  and  will 
have  respect  unto  thee  and  thy  house." 


372  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Is  he  thy  friend?" 

"Yea,  verily!" 

" And  thou  a  Hebrew?" 

"  I  was  born  a  Hebrew !  " 

"  I  marvel  at  what  thou  sayest  ! " 

"  A  Roman  may  have  a  warm  heart ! " 

"  I  marvel  again  !  but  if  so,  I  am  persuaded  that  thou 
must  have  warmed  it !  " 

"There  is  an  affection,  not  born  of  race  or  position, 
and  even  the  Vice  Legate  of  Tarsus  hath  begun  to  feel 
somewhat  of  its  glow!  " 

"  But  doth  not  he  worship  the  Tarsian  gods  ? " 

"Aforetime  and  formally,  yea!  but  he  is  reaching  o:.ri 
after  a  Higher,  — the  God  of  all  the  earth!" 

"  But  behold  the  God  of  Israel  ruleth  all  the  earth !  " 

"  And  all  the  peoples  of  the  earth  are  his  children !  " 

"  And  thou  a  Hebrew !  I  cannot  understand  what 
thou  sayest.  It  is  written  that  Moses  called  the  Lord  a 
Man  of  War.  Hath  he  not  then  enmity  against  the 
Gentiles?" 

"  He  hath  enmity  against  no  man !  " 

"  Again  thou  speakest  strange  things  !  Thy  spirit  is 
wise  and  good  and  thy  heart  full  of  charity,  but  thou 
lightly  regardest  the  things  that  are  written." 

"Verily  the  springs  of  God  are  in  the  inner  man  ! 
The  things  that  are  written  may  be  expedient  and  profit- 
able in  their  day  and  generation,  but  they  are  not  yet 
fully  perfected.  Behold  the  written  law  is  a  school- 
master leading  towards  Truth !  " 

"  Sayest  thou  that  the  revelation  of  God  is  not  per- 
fected in  the  law  as  handed  down  to  our  fathers? " 


CHANGES    OF  SOUL-COLOR  373 

"Nay  !  God  is  ever  revealing  himself  in  divers  ways, 
and  will  never  cease." 

Again  Benoni  bowed  his  head  in  bewilderment.  At 
length,  lifting  his  eyes  towards  the  face  of  Serenus,  he 
inquired,  — 

"  Canst  thou  forgive  Saulus  for  his  bitter  persecution 
of  thee  and  thy  friends  ? " 

"  I  have  forgiven  him  from  the  beginning  !  " 

Benoni's  eyes  filled  with  tears  as  he  put  his  arms 
about  the  young  man,  embracing  him  warmly.  Serenus 
arose  to  depart. 

"I  will  bring  thee  tidings  from  Rebecca  on  the  mor- 
row, and  peradventure  thou  mayest  be  able  to  visit  her." 

The  conflict  of  the  ages  —  that  which  hath  torn  innu- 
merable souls  before  and  since  —  the  Spirit  versus  the 
Letter  —  waxed  strong  in  the  mind  of  Benoni  for  hours 
after  Serenus  had  taken  his  departure. 

Nothing  less  than  some  upheaval  of  marvellous  force 
can  change  a  strong  current  of  chronic  dogmatic  preju- 
dice. It  may  be  interrupted,  but  there  is  a  mighty  ten- 
dency for  the  stream  to  return  to  its  well-worn  channel. 

The  vague  mystery  of  some  dim  recollection  of  the 
face  of  Rebecca  increased  the  interest  which  Marcius 
otherwise  would  have  felt  in  her  welfare  and  improve- 
ment. Losing  no  time  after  their  arrival,  he  despatched 
a  messenger  to  call  his  own  physician,  and  also  sent  for 
two  skilful  nurses  who  were  to  alternate  in  their  atten- 
dance under  the  general  supervision  of  Amabel.  Then 
he  proceeded  without  delay  to  take  all  possible  means, 
in  connection  with  the  Legate  and  other  Roman  officials, 
for  the  suppression  of  the  tumult. 


374  VICTOR  SERENUS 

A  cohort  of  soldiers  was  hastily  ordered  into  service ; 
but  as  the  Hebrews  had  all  fled  to  their  homes,  except 
the  small  number  that  were  killed  or  wounded,  and  the 
rabble  scattered,  they  found  little  to  do.  So  many  of 
the  leaders  of  the  attack  as  could  be  identified  were 
placed  under  arrest,  and  the  Hebrews  assured  of  future 
liberty  and  protection.  A  proclamation  also  was  issued, 
over  the  imperial  seal  of  Caesar,  commanding  religious 
toleration. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  Marcius  was  alone  in 
his  private  office  reviewing  the  events  which  had  hap- 
pened. Crowning  the  strange  impressions  already  noted 
was  another,  which  was  unwonted  and  distinct.  Tran- 
scending the  romance  of  the  rescue  of  the  beautiful  and 
mysterious  Jewess,  a  peculiar  gladness  welled  up  within 
him  at  the  feeling  of  having  succored  the  weak  and  inno- 
cent in  the  hour  of  trial.  It  was  the  first  purely  moral 
upheaval  in  the  soul  of  Marcius  of  that  unique  satis- 
faction which  grows  out  of  a  beneficent  act  well  done. 
Not  that  he  took  any  credit  for  having  performed  a 
simple  manly  duty,  but  rather  felt  a  spontaneous  and 
genuine  thankfulness  that  the  circumstances  had  con- 
ferred a  great  privilege  upon  him.  As  he  looked  back 
over  a  past  so  long  ruled  by  selfishness  and  passion,  he 
was  surprised  at  the  revelation  of  the  luxury  of  doing 
good,  even  though  it  came  in  the  line  of  official  obliga- 
tion. He  almost  felt  a  reverence  for  the  simple  Hebrew 
maiden,  who  had  been  the  instrument  of  revealing  the 
loftiest  consciousness  within  him  that  he  had  ever  ex- 
perienced. A  hitherto  unknown  beneficent  impulse  had 
been  awakened  within  him  that  would  never  again  go 


CHANGES    OF  SOUL-COLOR  375 

back  to  latency.  It  included  ministry  to  the  weak,  pro- 
tection to  the  innocent,  and  help  to  the  helpless,  when- 
ever opportunity  might  offer.  Though  to  the  world,  or 
even  the  average  man  of  affairs,  the  incident  would 
seem  trivial,  yet  a  door,  before  unknown,  had  been 
opened,  and  Marcius,  the  Roman,  had  added  a  cubit  to 
his  spiritual  stature. 

After  Rebecca  was  borne  into  the  palace,  she  remained 
a  full  hour  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness.  Willing  hands 
and  loving  hearts  exercised  themselves  in  every  form  of 
helpful  devotion.  No  bones  were  broken,  but  the  terrible 
shock,  with  the  severe  bruises  received  while  under  the 
feet  of  the  mob,  made  her  condition  of  serious  import. 

Upon  opening  her  eyes,  she  was  bewildered  on  ac- 
count of  the  strange  surroundings.  But  the  bright 
cheerful  face  of  Amabel,  who  was  holding  her  hand  and 
stroking  her  forehead,  reassured  her. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  and  what  has  happened  ?  " 

"  Thou  art  surrounded  by  warm  friends,  and  peace  and 
joy  belong  to  thee.  Be  not  disquieted,  for  all  is  well ! " 

"  I  have  had  a  terrible  dream  —  nay,  it  must  be  more 
than  a  dream,  for  I  am  in  a  strange  place,  and  cannot 
move ! " 

"  Thou  art  in  the  palace  of  the  Vice  Legate  of  Tarsus ! 
He  snatched  thee  from  the  hand  of  the  cruel  horde,  and 
brought  thee  here  and  placed  thee  in  my  charge.  Our 
love,  care,  and  healing  influence  will  restore  thee  ! " 

"Thy  kindly  young  face  seemeth  familiar!  Wilt  thou 
be  pleased  to  tell  me  concerning  thyself?" 

"I  am  Amabel,  the  daughter  of  Rabban  Gamaliel  of 
Jerusalem,  and  wife  of  Serenus  ! " 


3/6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  My  love  and  thanks  go  out  to  thee  for  thy  goodly 
service." 

She  was  then  made  acquainted  with  the  escape  of  her 
father  and  mother;  but  soon  a  confused  mingling  of  past 
scenes,  with  faintness  from  the  terrible  shock  of  the  after- 
noon, overcame  her,  and  she  sank  into  a  deep  slumber. 

After  two  or  three  hours  she  awoke  visibly  improved. 
Though  very  weak,  she  now  clearly  recalled  all  the 
events  of  the  day,  excepting  those  during  the  period  of 
her  unconsciousness.  As  she  looked  up,  both  Serenus 
and  Amabel  were  seated  by  her  side.  The  face  of  the 
former  at  once  brought  before  her  the  well-remembered 
scenes  of  the  Holy  City.  The  panic  of  the  Feast  of 
Weeks,  their  subsequent  conversation,  the  procession  of 
prisoners,  and  other  events  of  the  persecution,  were  all 
vividly  recalled.  Yet  this  was  "the  friend  of  Saulus." 
Then  she  thought  of  the  previous  day,  when  Serenus 
and  Amabel  coming  from  the  Nereid  were  driven 
through  the  streets  in  the  company  of  that  Roman 
whose  dark  face  was  so  deeply  engraven  upon  her 
memory. 

"  There  is  much  that  seemeth  mysterious  to  me !  "  she 
exclaimed;  and  then  turning  towards  Serenus  said, — 

"Of  a  verity  thou  wert  the  preserver  both  of  Saulus 
and  myself  in  the  Holy  City,  and  now,  behold  thou  hast 
appeared  in  Tarsus  and  saved  me  from  the  fury  of  the 
mob !  But  I  cannot  understand  "  — 

"  Of  a  truth  it  was  not  I,  but  Marcius,  the  Vice  Leg- 
ate, who  delivered  thee  from  danger  and  brought  thee  to 
this  place  of  refuge.  Perchance  I  rendered  some  ser- 
vice, but  to  him  thy  thanks  are  due  for  thine  escape." 


CHANGES    OF  SOUL-COLOR  3/7 

Rebecca  again  closed  her  eyes  for  a  few  moments, 
but  her  memory  was  busy. 

Marvel  of  Marvels! 

Noticing  her  confusion,   Serenus  quietly  observed, — 

"Thou  wilt  know  all  in  due  time,  but  pray  let  slum- 
ber gently  seal  thine  eyelids  until  the  morrow.  We 
will  aid  thee  to  realize  the  Present  Help,  and  through 
a  spiritual  strength  which  shall  be  thine,  thou  shalt 
feel  new  life  with  the  rising  of  the  sun!" 

Silence  then  prevailed,  and  she  sank  into  a  sweet, 
restful  slumber. 

"O  Light  of  my  Life  !"  said  Amabel  in  a  low  tone, 
"  I  am  filled  with  the  remembrance  of  thy  gracious  min- 
istry when  I  passed  down  to  the  border  of  the  tomb 
in  my  father's  house.  All  that  then  seemed  so  adverse 
was  but  the  pathway  through  which  I  was  led  into  the 
Truth!  And  now,  touching  this  trial,  peradventure  it 
will  be  the  means  of  bringing  great  light  and  peace 
into  the  soul  of  Rebecca." 

"Yea,  verily,  Love  of  my  Heart!  Good  springeth 
forth  from  evil !  And  now  let  us  be  silent  channels 
whereby  the  presence  of  the  Universal  Good  shall  be- 
come manifest  in  her." 

Profound  stillness  then  prevailed. 

The  place  seemed  hallowed. 

As  the  dim  evening  light  shone  softly  upon  the  closed 
eyes  and  fair  cheeks  of  Rebecca,  a  sweet  smile  wreathed 
her  lips.  Perchance  she  was  dreaming  of  peace,  love, 
and  an  overcoming  faith. 

The  two  young  disciples  of  the  New  Faith  sat  near 
her  as  the  moments  passed  silently  by, 


3/8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

A  Voice  spoke  through  them,  but  not  in  words. 
"  Child  of  God !  Thou  art  a  spark  of  Immortal  Flame ! 
an  image  of  the  Universal  Spirit !  It  is  thine  to  gov- 
ern and  harmonize  the  outward  form.  Thou  hast  new 
life  already  !  God  is  Spirit,  and  his  dwelling-place  is 
with  his  offspring.  He  is  thy  Life,  Love,  and  Strength, 
through  the  understanding  of  the  laws  of  thy  being. 
Behold  the  very  breath  of  God  is  within  thee  !  His 
strength  is  freely  thine  own!"  / 


Serenus  retired  from  the  room. 

The  next  morning  found  a  very  marked  improvement 
in  the  condition  of  Rebecca.  She  was  surprised  at  the 
unwonted  joy  and  gladness  which  like  a  fountain  spon- 
taneously sprung  up  within  her.  There  was  also  a 
great  recovery  in  her  bodily  condition. 

Opening  her  eyes,  with  a  calm  cheerfulness  she  warmly 
greeted  Amabel,  who  was  already  by  her  side,  — 

"The  morning  light  hath  brought  me  peace,  dear 
Amabel  !  I  feel  such  an  assurance  of  strength  and 
happiness  that  it  seemeth  a  mystery." 

"  Peradventure  thou  hast  some  inner  kindling  of  the 
New  Faith  !  " 

"Tell  me  of  it;  for  even  the  bodily  presence  of  you 
—  its  disciples  —  bringeth  a  peculiar  benediction  !  " 

"We  are  but  its  instruments  of  spiritual  ministration!  " 

"  Cometh  it  down  from  the  God  of  the  Hebrews  in 
answer  to  your  petitions?" 

"  Behold  the  presence  of  God  filleth  all  things,  both 
great  and  small,  and  his  loving  favor  hath  no  constraint 


CHANGES    OF  SOUL-COLOR  3/9 

of  tribe  or  nation  !  We  need  not  beg,  for  no  willingness 
is  lacking  with  him.  To  open  our  souls  to  the  abun- 
dance which  is  already  provided,  comprehendeth  the 
Spirit  of  the  New  Faith  !  " 

"  Peradventure  I  felt  some  faint  beginnings  of  its  pres- 
ence within  me  while  I  was  yet  in  the  Holy  City,  but 
Serenus  and  thyself  have  it  in  living  fulness! " 

"  Behold  the  power  and  love  which  inspire  may  come 
through  silent  communication  from  another  soul!  The 
Spirit  speaketh  through  one  to  another  to  the  inner  ear. " 

"How  mysterious,  and  yet  how  beautiful!  " 

"  When  the  Image  of  God  within  is  discovered,  in  due 
time  it  maketh  its  fruits  manifest  in  the  outer  and  seen." 

"Hath  Marcius,  the  Vice  Legate,  accepted  the  New 
Faith?" 

"  He  hath  not  yet  fully  avowed  it,  but  is  possessed  of 
a  growing  desire  to  know  the  Truth.  Though  a  Roman, 
the  dawn  of  a  higher  consciousness  already  hath  shone 
into  his  soul,  and  perchance  the  good  seed  which  Serenus 
hath  sown  will  spring  forth  into  a  full  harvest. " 

"It  appeareth  that  you  are  his  friends  and  guests.  I 
rejoice  that  it  hath  so  come  to  pass,  but  it  seemeth 
strange !  " 

Amabel  then  briefly  related  the  whole  story  of  the 
shipwreck,  and  of  the  friendliness  and  growing  interest 
of  Marcius  in  their  teaching. 

After  listening  to  the  narrative,  Rebecca  closed  her 
eyes,  while  Memory  held  its  graphic  pictures  before  her. 

Back,  back  to  the  evening  on  the  Cydnus  —  the  storm 
—  the  scene  in  the  palace  —  the  boyish,  brotherly  devo- 
tion of  Saulus,  and  the  outcome  of  complete  salvation. 


380  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Then  she  quickly  roamed  over  the  succeeding  years,  — 
the  change  in  Saulus  —  his  terrible  persecutions  —  her 
life  in  the  Holy  City  —  and  on,  on,  down  to  the  events 
of  the  past  two  days. 

Verily,  life  was  a  mysterious  labyrinth  ! 

She  was  again  in  a  palace  of  Marcius  ! 

But  Marcius  was  another  Marcius;  the  same  only  in 
name;  the  friend  of  her  friends,  and  the  doer  of  good 
deeds.  Nay,  more.  He  was  her  deliverer  from  death, 
and  his  house  her  place  of  refuge. 

No  !  he  could  never  recognize  her ! 

She  resolved  to  lock  up  the  secret  of  the  first  Marcius ! 

He  was  forgiven,  forgotten  —  blotted  out! 


A   PARADISE    DISCOVERED  381 


CHAPTER   XXX 

A    PARADISE    DISCOVERED 

"  True  love's  the  gift  which  God  has  given 
To  man  alone  beneath  the  heaven  ; 
It  is  not   fantasy's  hot  fire, 

Whose  wishes  soon  as  granted  fly  ; 
It  liveth  not  in  fierce  desire, 

With  dead  desire  it  doth  not  die  ; 
It  is  the  secret  sympathy, 
The  silver  link,  the  silken  tie, 
Which  heart  to  heart,  and  mind  to  mind, 
In  body  and  in  soul   can  bind." 

ON  the  third  day  after  the  rescue  of  Rebecca  she 
had  recovered  her  wonted  health  and  strength.  Benoni, 
visiting  her  on  the  previous  afternoon,  fondly  hoped 
that  she  might  return  with  him,  but  upon  the  cordial 
invitation  of  her  benefactors,  consented  that  she  should 
remain  a  little  longer.  Her  interest  in  the  New  Faith 
grew  apace,  and  her  love  and  respect  for  its  two  young 
exponents  were  unbounded.  The  rapidity  of  her  restora- 
tion appeared  miraculous  to  all  who  understood  not 
the  signs  which  outwardly  witnessed  the  new  spiritual 
Power.  The  nurses  which  Marcius  provided  were  not 
needed,  and  the  physician  made  but  the  visit  of  the  first 
day. 

Since  the  day  when  he  snatched  her  from  the  jaws 
of  death,  Marcius  had  not  seen  Rebecca,  but  manifested 


382  VICTOR  SERENUS 

his  interest  by  frequent  inquiries  concerning  her  wel- 
fare. Some  part  of  each  day  he  sought  the  company 
of  Serenus,  and  his  interest  in  their  conversation,  and 
regard  for  what  he  called  the  new  Spiritual  Philosophy, 
steadily  increased.  On  the  third  evening,  learning  of 
Rebecca's  virtual  recovery,  he  expressed  the  earnest 
wish  that  she,  with  Serenus  and  Amabel,  should  sup 
with  him  upon  the  evening  following.  It  would  be  a 
quiet  but  fitting  celebration  of  her  notable  recovery. 

Upon  being  informed  by  Serenus  of  the  proffered 
honor,  she  would  have  pleaded  some  excuse,  but  feel- 
ing a  great  obligation  to  her  kind  host,  and  also  that 
it  would  please  her  guardian  angels  of  the  New  Faith, 
she  accepted  the  invitation.  Through  the  kindness  of 
Serenus  she  was  supplied  from  her  home  with  every- 
thing that  was  fitting  for  her  appearance  at  the  festivity, 
so  that  with  the  delicate  discrimination  and  assistance 
of^  Amabel  she  lacked  nothing. 

The  evening  came,  and  Rebecca's  fair  face,  though 
slightly  paler  than  usual,  was  charming  to  behold.  With 
features  of  rare  symmetry,  and  complexion  of  a  deli- 
cate brunette,  her  skin  was  of  such  transparency  that 
the  ruddiness  beneath  it  clearly  shone  through.  Her 
head,  classic  in  shape  and  slightly  below  the  average 
size,  was  set  upon  a  neck  and  shoulders  well  turned,  and 
graceful  in  pose  and  shapeliness.  Her  jet  black  hair 
was  lightly  gathered  up  under  a  cap  of  silken  gauze 
with  a  dainty  embroidery  of  golden  threads,  and  a  net- 
work of  delicate  chains  adorned  with  small  precious 
stones  encircled  her  neck.  She  wore  simple  but  rich 
flowing  robes,  in  harmony  with  her  faultless  form,  com- 


A   PARADISE   DISCOVERED  383 

pelling  attention  not  to  detail,  but  to  general  complete- 
ness and  proportion. 

Who  can  estimate  the  refining  and  elevating  influence 
of  true  and  ideal  beauty  ?  No  symmetrical  soul  can  fail 
to  be  thrilled  by  its  quality,  and  the  admiration  be- 
stowed upon  it  is  repaid  by  a  reflection  of  its  transform- 
ing potency.  Everything,  whether  beautiful  or  otherwise, 
is  ever  busy  in  the  subtle  moulding  of  living  and  im- 
pressible forms  around  it  into  its  own  image.  The 
lesson  of  Pygmalion  and  his  fair  creation  symbolizes 
the  poetic  and  artistic  truth  of  a  vital  and  universal 
principle. 

But  the  outward  form  and  costume  of  Rebecca  were 
the  unimportant  elements  of  her  charming  presence. 
The  purity  and  artlessness  of  soul  shining  through  the 
visible  personality  formed  the  real  attractiveness  of  the 
daughter  of  Benoni.  The  costume,  and  even  the  beauti- 
ful form,  were  simple  accessories,  like  the  external  set- 
ting of  a  gem. 

As  the  hour  of  the  repast  drew  near,  the  trio  wended 
their  way  through  a  long  corridor,  paved  with  mosaic, 
then,  passing  two  portals,  entered  the  atrium  or  front 
court  of  the  palace.  Here  Marcius  would  receive  them. 
The  entrances  to  the  various  rooms,  with  their  walks,  al- 
coves, and  stairways,  extended  around  on  three  sides, 
while  on  the  fourth,  beyond  a  massive  wall  of  marble, 
were  the  palace  gardens,  containing  flower-beds,  shrub- 
beries, fountains,  and  statues,  with  here  and  there  a 
spreading  plane,  fig,  or  palm  tree. 

The  court  opened  to  the  blue  sky  above,  except  a 
space  covered  by  a  large  velarium,  which  was  spread  as 


384  VICTOR  SERENUS 

a  shelter  from  the  rays  of  the  sun  during  the  afternoon. 
The  impluvium,  or  rain-water  tank,  guarded  by  rails  of 
polished  metal,  received  its  contents  through  grotesque 
gargoyles  of  the  same  material,  and  near  by  a  fountain 
poured  forth  a  volume  of  spray  into  a  huge  round  marble 
basin,  surrounded  with  anemones  and  lilies.  The  pave- 
ment of  the  atrium  was  of  white  and  dark  red  marbles 
in  handsome  design,  and  the  walls  decorated  with 
carved  panels,  upon  which  were  representations  of  fan- 
tastic birds,  griffins,  fauns,  and  centaurs.  Along  the 
sides  a  continuous  divan  or  resting-place  was  supplied 
with  soft,  movable  cushions,  and  stools  in  front. 

Marcius  appeared  soon  after  the  announcement  of 
their  arrival.  After  a  simple  introduction,  he  gave 
Rebecca  a  cordial  greeting,  — 

"  I  give  thee  welcome,  and  have  pleasure  in  thy  speedy 
restoration. " 

Rebecca  glanced  timidly  up  into  the  face  of  the  Ro- 
man, half  expecting  that  the  dark,  stern  visage  of  per- 
fidious memory  would  be  disturbing  beyond  control,  so 
that  her  agitation  would  be  evident.  She  had  forgotten 
for  the  moment  that  the  former  Marcius  was  no  more, 
and  that  this  was  another.  Though  the  general  contour 
of  form  and  feature  was  recalled,  the  hard  lines  of 
brutality  and  sensuality  had  disappeared,  while  those  of 
a  manly  and  kindly  dignity  had  taken  their  place.  There 
was  a  sympathetic  light  in  his  eyes,  a  calm  nobility  of 
demeanor,  and  a  respectful  and  delicate  consideration 
which  were  delightful  and  unexpected.  Even  the  voice 
of  well-remembered  harshness  was  rich,  amiable,  and 
friendly. 


A   PARADISE    DISCOVERED  385 

Rebecca  was  so  astonished  at  the  completeness  of  the 
change  that  a  well-defined  flush  upon  her  cheeks  height- 
ened the  charm  of  her  appearance.  The  severe  ordeal 
which  she  had  consented  to  undergo  from  force  of  cir- 
cumstances, and  out  of  consideration  for  Serenus  and 
Amabel,  suddenly  lost  its  unpleasantness,  and  composure 
and  self-command  were  immediately  regained. 

She  responded  to  the  hearty  greeting,  and  in  a  manner 
of  quiet  dignity  expressed  a  cordial  thankfulness  for  his 
kindness  in  her  timely  rescue  and  generous  hospitality. 

Pending  the  announcement  of  the  serving  of  the 
supper,  they  seated  themselves  for  a  brief  converse  in 
the  court.  Marcius  continued  to  address  Rebecca. 

"As  a  Roman  citizen,  and  especially  as  Vice  Legate 
of  Tarsus,  I  have  much  shame  at  tne  cruel  persecution 
which  so  suddenly  broke  out  against  thy  people.  It  was 
unforeseen,  and  care  shall  be  taken  that  the  offence  hath 
no  repetition.  But  I  have  a  peculiar  gladness  that  my 
brother  Serenus  and  I  were  able  to  render  thee  aid  in 
the  time  of  need.  But  verily  it  is  to  him  that  the 
praise  is  meet.  But  for  his  presence  and  teaching  I 
should  have  been  elsewhere." 

"  Behold,  my  lord  Marcius,  he  abounded  with  noble  deeds 
while  in  Jerusalem.  I  could  tell  thee  much  concerning 
certain  things  that  happened  there  during  my  sojourn." 

Serenus  interposed,  — 

"  I  beseech  you,  my  friends,  bestow  no  undue  praise ; 
for  if  any  good  cometh  through  my  hand,  it  is  not  I, 
but  the  Spirit  of  Truth  which  worketh  through  me." 

Amabel  turned  her  eyes  lovingly  upon  her  husband, 
and  said,  — 


386  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Behold  I  have  learned  that  when  the  Spirit  of  Truth 
taketh  possession  of  a  soul  it  becometh  one  with  him,  so 
that  they  are  no  longer  twain!  The  New  Faith,  which 
is  the  awakening  of  the  Spirit  already  within,  cometh 
into  manifestation  in  the  deeds  performed." 

Serenus  gave  her  an  approving  smile.  "Thou  hast 
spoken  wisely.  The  inner  or  spiritual  self  is  the  verita- 
ble man,  and  he  waiteth  for  the  comprehension  of  the 
divine  sonship." 

"  I  perceive  that  the  sensuous  or  flesh-man  is  not  truly 
man  at  all,"  said  Marcius.  "  How  all  the  so-called  phi- 
losophies of  the  world  have  erred!  Doth  it  not  seem 
marvellous  that  I,  a  Roman,  have  so  soon  become  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  and  beauty  of  the  New  Faith?  At 
times  I  feel  doubtful  of  my  identity,  and  wonder  if  I  am 
myself!" 

"Thou  wert  not  changed  by  the  logic  and  reasoning  of 
the  intellect,"  said  Serenus,  "for  a  religious  belief  from 
without  is  slow  and  uncertain  in  its  operation.  But  when 
there  was  commended  to  thee  the  natural  outworking  of 
the  Godlike  image  within,  anon  thou  felt  the  New  Faith 
living  in  thy  heart,  and  needed  not  an  argument,  after 
the  manner  of  men." 

Rebecca,  turning  towards  Serenus,  and  recalling  their 
conversation  in  the  Holy  City,  observed,  — 

"  Verily,  I  believe  that  from  my  early  youth  I  have  felt 
some  quickening  of  the  Spirit  in  the  depths  of  my  heart, 
but  knew  not  what  it  might  be.  Being  taught  that  the 
faith  of  the  Chosen  People  was  handed  down  from  with- 
out, its  ceremonial  formality  smothered  the  inner  flame. 
But  the  touch  of  thy  faith,  which  thou  gavest  me  on  the 


A   PARADISE    DISCOVERED  387 

day  of  the  mad  rush  in  the  Temple  court,  kindled  a  new 
life  of  which  I  had  but  a  dim  perception  before.  And 
now,  behold  since  I  have  been  with  Amabel,  it  hath 
waxed  stronger !  " 

"  I  am  moved  to  confess, "  said  Marcius,  "  that  I  loathed 
the  manner  of  my  early  life  even  before  I  knew  Serenus 
and  the  New  Faith.  Once  I  heard  a  voice  from  beyond 
the  borders  of  the  grave  which  rebuked  me,  and  showed 
plainly  the  life  of  the  unseen,  and  that  virtue  hath  its 
reward,  and  vice  its  natural  penalty.  Then  I  became 
thoughtful,  and  repented  of  many  of  my  evil  deeds.  But 
yet  I  remained  long  in  the  ignorance  or  twilight  of  Truth, 
until  the  sunlight  of  the  New  Faith,  which  hath  come  to 
me  through  Serenus,  quickly  dispelled  the  darkness  that 
surrounded  me.  This  not  so  much  by  his  words  of  teach- 
ing, as  by  the  contagion  of  the  Spirit  that  filleth  him." 

A  summons  came  from  the  triclinium,  and  Marcius 
arose  to  conduct  them  thither.  Being  the  guest  of  honor, 
Rebecca  was  invited  to  lead  the  way  with  the  host,  and 
they  started,  side  by  side,  through  a  spacious  corridor. 

"  Pardon  me,  if  I  confess  that  thy  fair  face  calleth  up 
some  dim  fancy  of  the  past.  How  deceitful  is  the  imagi- 
nation, and  how  confusing!  " 

The  heart  of  Rebecca  gave  a  great  leap,  but  she  main- 
tained the  outward  semblance  of  calmness. 

"Of  all  our  faculties  perhaps  it  is  the  most  commonly 
undisciplined,"  she  replied;  "but,  perchance  we  may 
tame  and  cultivate  it,  and  increase  its  usefulness." 

"  Thou  speakest  discreetly.  Our  new  philosophy  show- 
eth  that  when  rightly  employed  everything  is  helpful, 
which  must  include  even  the  imagination." 


388  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Yea,  I  am  learning  to  see  the  good  whichever  way 
I  turn.  What  a  joy  to  live  in  a  world  where  we  can  em- 
bellish every  person  and  thing  with  our  divine  thought 
concerning  them  ! " 

When  unobserved,  Marcius  cast  another  quick,  tender 
glance  upon  the  face  of  Rebecca,  and  finally  dismissed 
all  impression  of  any  possible  past  meeting.  Nothing 
could  be  more  improbable. 

In  its  place  came  a  peculiar  enchantment.  Such  a 
revelation  of  her  beauty  burst  forth  in  his  soul  that  it 
filled  him  with  surprise  and  delight.  But  though  her 
comeliness  of  person  was  fascinating,  this  was  unimpor- 
tant and  superficial.  An  adoration,  and  even  reverence, 
filled  him,  which  were  without  alloy.  His  high  station 
had  brought  before  him  many  proud  and  beautiful  women 
of  his  own  nation,  who  were  refined  and  attractive,  but 
this  modest  Hebrew  maiden  almost  seemed  to  belong  to 
another  planet.  His  soul  was  uplifted  in  a  transport  of 
delight.  Every  step  by  her  side  gave  him  the  feeling 
that  he  was  upon  consecrated  ground. 

These  thoughts  and  experiences  flashed  through  his 
mind  with  the  force  and  rapidity  of  a  tropical  tempest. 

He  stepped  over  a  boundary  line  into  a  delectable 
land  almost  before  he  was  aware  of  it.  The  paradise 
discovered  was  Love.  Such  a  love  he  had  never  before 
known.  Devotion  of  a  depth  and  power  of  which  he 
would  have  been  utterly  incapable  at  any  previous  time 
sprung  up  within  him.  What  was  rank,  position,  wealth, 
or  even  outward  grace!  His  soul  arose  from  its  former 
state  to  the  full  adoration  of  neighboring  soul-beauty. 
Until  now  he  never  had  known  the  nature  of  real  love. 


A   PARADISE   DISCOVERED  389 

As  they  passed  through  the  last  portal  into  the  tri- 
clinium, Marcius  was  strangely  silent  and  abstracted. 
The  world  had  been  made  over,  and  all  things  were  new 
since  leaving  the  atrium  a  few  minutes  before. 

The  repast,  though  perfect  in  quality,  was  simple 
rather  than  ostentatious.  Marcius,  with  a  fine  instinct, 
had  already  learned,  and  even  felt,  that  the  exponents 
of  the  New  Faith,  while  thoroughly  appreciative  of 
beauty,  were  quiet  in  their  tastes,  and  carried  their  mod- 
eration into  all  things. 

There  was  a  profusion  of  flowers,  and  an  abundance 
of  handsome  appointments,  but  no  lares  or  penates  upon 
the  table,  neither  were  any  libations  poured  to  the  gods. 
But  when  all  had  reclined  in  their  places,  there  was  a 
brief  interval  of  silent  thanks  and  aspiration  with  bowed 
heads,  which  was  spontaneous  rather  than  formal.  The 
supper  was  not  a  feast  so  much  as  an  occasion  of  friendly 
and  joyful  converse,  serving  as  a  pleasant  recognition  of 
Rebecca's  escape  and  recovery. 

Marcius,  whose  enthusiasm  for  the  new  light  which 
so  signally  had  come  to  him  was  unwearied,  soon  de- 
sired to  resume  the  discussion  which  they  had  begun 
in  the  atrium. 

"While  I  joy  in  the  power  of  the  truth  that  thrills  me 
through  and  through,  there  are  certain  things  of  which 
I  fain  would  make  further  inquiry,"  said  he  to  Serenus. 

"I  too  would  gladly  receive  further  witness  of  the 
truth,"  said  Rebecca. 

"Behold  one  is  straitened  to  set  forth  the  doctrine  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  language  of  men,"  said  Serenus.  "It 
is  a  hidden  life,  and  being  veiled,  only  can  be  made 


390  VICTOR  SERENUS 

known  through  parables  and  symbols.  It  dwelleth  in 
the  heart  too  deep  for  the  persuasiveness  of  speech." 

"  How  unlike  the  learning  of  the  schools !  "  said  Mar- 
cius. 

"Yea;  words  and  writings  which  concern  the  bodily 
sensations  of  men,  and  the  things  that  are  without  and 
seen,  are  multiplied,  while  the  things  of  the  spirit  are 
silently  digged  out  of  the  depths  of  the  soul." 

"After  what  manner  was  the  teaching  of  the  great 
prophet  of  Nazareth  ?  " 

"Through  symbols  and  parables!  Nay,  even  more 
through  his  life  and  example,  and  by  means  of  the  out- 
ward signs,  ministries,  and  miracles  which  witnessed 
the  divinity  that  was  within  him." 

"  Have  all  men  the  same  divinity?  " 

"All  in  their  real  being  are  sons  of  God,  but  being 
ignorant  of  their  sonship,  have  not  unfolded  it  into  out- 
ward manifestation.  It  is  like  a  seed,  containing  life, 
but  not  yet  quickened  into  outward  form  and  fruitfulness. 
Man  is  only  perfected  as  man,  in  the  degree  that  he  ex- 
presses God." 

"Why  are  men  so  slow  in  their  progress  upward?" 

"Chiefly  because  they  think  themselves  to  be  bodies 
rather  than  what  they  really  are,  —  spirits  having  present 
bodily  articulation." 

"  In  other  words,  thou  wouldst  say,  that  having  only  a 
fleshly  consciousness,  they  perform  the  works  of  the  flesh, 
ignorant  of  the  spirit  or  real  self  which  hath  not  yet 
received  a  quickening." 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  it  plainly.  The  works  of  the  flesh 
are  mischievous,  selfish,  hateful,  and  corrupting,  while 


A   PARADISE   DISCOVERED  391 

those  of  the  Spirit  are  peace,  joy,  love,  and  purity.  So 
long  as  men  think  themselves  carnal  in  their  being,  the 
corresponding  works  will  follow.  Every  kind  of  thought 
and  belief  bringeth  forth  a  harvest  of  its  own  kind." 

"If  I  rightly  apprehend,"  said  Marcius,  "thou  dost 
not  set  forth  that  the  body  is  evil  in  itself? " 

"  Nay !  the  body,  as  the  temple  and  expression  of  the 
Spirit,  is  an  holy  building,  sanctified  and  honorable. 
But  to  be  after  that  manner  it  must  be  man's  servant, 
and  not  his  master.  It  may  render  a  delightful  service, 
or  be  a  deadly  tyrant !  Shall  the  clay  rule  the  potter? " 

"  Whence  come  its  weaknesses  and  sicknesses  ?  " 

"From  the  prevailing  bodily  consciousness  which 
giveth  man  the  feeling  that  he  must  perish.  He  is 
therefore  filled  with  thoughts,  fears,  and  beliefs  of  ill 
which  bring  forth  a  universal  fruitage  of  their  own  kind. 
Man  therefore  bows  himself  in  servitude  to  these,  his 
own  creations,  and  ignorantly  thinketh  that  they  are 
sent  by  God." 

"How  are  they  to  be  put  away  ? " 

"By  thinking  upon  the  things  that  pertain  to  the 
spiritual  selfhood,  and  consciously  ruling  and  harmoniz- 
ing the  bodily  instrument.  The  body  is  a  living  epistle, 
setting  forth  the  quality  of  the  life,  mind,  and  soul,  of 
which  it  is  the  visible  result  and  correspondence.  It  is 
the  spoken  word  of  the  thought  of  man  !  " 

"Wilt  thou  interpret  to  us  a  miracle?"  said  Rebecca, 
who  had  followed  every  word  of  the  conversation  with 
great  interest. 

"A  miracle  is  a  name  which  men  give  to  any  un- 
wonted demonstration  of  power  which  is  above  and 


392  VICTOR  SERENUS 

beyond  their  common  understanding.  Miracles  may  be 
wrought  as  signs  of  spiritual  verity,  or  exercised  in 
works  of  love  and  mercy." 

"  Do  they  require  the  special  and  direct  intervention 
of  the  one  and  supreme  God  of  all  the  earth  ? "  inquired 
Marcius. 

"Nay;  but  rather  an  intelligent  conformity  to  his  wise 
and  unchanging  laws,  only  the  lower  domain  of  which 
is  commonly  understood." 

"We  believe  that  thou  canst  perform  works  which  to 
the  eyes  of  the  world  would  seem  miraculous ! "  said 
Marcius  with  fulness  of  heart. 

Rebecca's  eyes  were  moist  with  emotion,  and  her  fea- 
tures lighted  up  with  grateful  interest  as  she  added, — 

"  I  am  persuaded  that  Serenus  and  Amabel  can  do 
wonderful  works !  Of  a  surety  many  weeks  would  have 
passed  before  my  perfect  healing  had  not  their  ministry 
blessed  me." 

"In  proportion  to  the  measure  of  faith  and  wisdom 
which  one  can  bring  into  exercise,  he  can  perform  the 
works.  They  who  make  themselves  fit  channels  for  the 
universal  and  abounding  Life  to  flow  through,  will  be 
meet  to  minister  effectually  to  the  ills  of  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  men.  Until  the  time  cometh  when  each  can 
fully  work  out  his  own  salvation,  it  behooveth  us  to 
strengthen  the  weak,  raise  the  fallen,  and  heal  the  sick,  as 
we  have  opportunity.  We  must  needs  beware  of  think- 
ing any  manner  of  evil,  for  ourselves  or  others,  whether 
pertaining  to  soul  or  body." 

"Why  hath  not  the  New  Faith  spread  more  rapidly, 
since  it  was  proclaimed  in  its  purity  by  the  prophet  of 


'A   PARADISE    DISCOVERED  393 

Nazareth?"  said  Marcius.  "It  would  appear  that  such 
a  gospel  would  be  received  everywhere  !  " 

"The  world  is  not  yet  ready  to  discover  the  beauty 
and  power  of  a  spiritual  faith.  Religion,  to  the  Roman, 
Greek,  Hebrew,  or  barbarian,  doth  not  signify  a  new  and 
richer  life,  but  some  system,  ceremony,  sacrifice,  or  obla- 
tion. These  have  little  moulding  power,  and  have  to  do 
with  the  outer  rather  than  the  inner  man.  Religions  of 
belief  and  tradition  are  many,  but  of  the  Spirit  there  is 
but  one." 

"  Cometh  not  such  systems  from  the  darkened  and  vain 
beliefs  concerning  God  or  the  gods?  "  said  Rebecca. 

"Yea,  verily!  Both  the  Elohim  and  Yehovah  of  the 
Hebrews,  and  the  many  gods  of  other  nations,  have  been 
invested  with  human  passions,  so  that  they  must  needs  be 
appeased  or  propitiated.  Thence  cometh  the  universal 
dread  and  fear  of  an  Ail-Powerful  One,  and  the  innumer- 
able expiations,  atonements,  rites,  oblations,  and  libations, 
so  that  peradventure  some  favors  might  be  vouchsafed 
by  a  Deity  or  deities  whose  ruling  disposition  is  that  of 
anger.  Men  are  not  drawn  by  their  fears,  but  through 
their  loves.  As  the  Omnipresent  Love  —  the  true  God 
—  cometh  into  recognition,  the  hearts  of  all  will  melt 
into  oneness  with  him,  and  the  children  of  men  be  lifted 
out  of  their  fears,  sorrows,  sins,  and  sicknesses." 

"  How  plain ;  and  yet  how  men  are  blinded  to  this 
great  principle!  "  said  Marcius.  "  My  former  life  seem- 
eth  like  a  delusive  dream,  in  that  I  have  not  before  been 
awakened  to  the  truth.  I  see  that  as  man's  concept  of 
God  becometh  purified,  he  is  gradually  transformed  into 
his  image." 


394  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Thou  hast  well  described  the  very  corner-stone  of 
the  divine  life  and  perfection  of  man.  To  securely  lay 
this  was  the  work  of  the  Man  of  Galilee.  But  verily 
the  spirit  of  his  advent  hath  been  commonly  darkened, 
not  only  by  his  enemies,  but  by  many  of  his  avowed 
followers." 

"How  long,  thinkest  thou,  O  Serenus,  will  evil  pre- 
vail on  the  earth  ?  " 

"  Behold  no  evil  ruleth  the  earth,  for  that  which  so  ap- 
peareth  is  but  the  early,  imperfect,  and  unripened  Good. 
Only  the  eye  of  the  impure  can  behold  the  impure.  God 
is  too  pure  to  behold  iniquity,  for  all  things  are  working 
out,  in  due  time,  the  universal  Perfection.  To  our  dim 
vision  it  seemeth  slow,  but  time  is  but  a  sensuous  limita- 
tion. All  things,  whether  in  heaven,  earth,  or  hades,  are 
working  together,  yea,  are  in  travail,  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  sons  of  God. " 

"  What  is  the  teaching  of  the  New  Faith  concerning 
life  beyond  the  grave?  "  inquired  Rebecca. 

"There  is  but  one  life,  and  man  never  enters  the  grave. 
All  the  false  traditions  and  beliefs  concerning  it  have 
come  from  the  carnal  or  fleshly  slavery  into  which  men 
have  sold  themselves.  The  earth  taketh  back  to  its 
bosom  the  handful  of  dust  which  man  hath  gathered  to 
himself  for  a  brief  season.  He  tests  his  soul  upon  it, 
and  it  outwardly  marks  his  own  and  the  general  belief 
touching  it.  We  cast  off  coarse  and  worn-out  garments 
for  those  of  finer  and  richer  texture." 

"Dost  thou  believe  that  the  more  subtile  or  ethereal 
body  is  already  enclosed  within  the  seen  form?" 

"I  am  so  persuaded.     But  in  the  fulness  of  time  the 


A    PARADISE    DISCOVERED  395 

grave  will  be  closed,  and  man  will  walk  forth  in  free- 
dom. Then  will  he  gain  such  a  spiritual  consciousness 
as  to  be  able,  little  by  little,  to  transmute  and  refine  his 
crude  visibility  into  a  finer  and  more  enduring  organism. 
That  which  is  called  death  then  will  have  served  its 
purpose." 

"Thou  hast  made  us  glad  by  thy  words  of  wisdom," 
said  Rebecca.  "We  fain  will  let  this  light  shine  in  the 
darkness  which  surrounds  us,  dividing  the  word  of  Truth 
discreetly  among  those  who  are  open  to  receive  it." 

"  Yea,"  said  Marcius ;  "  we  can  speak  effectually  through 
our  lives  and  deeds,  and  also  by  word  of  teaching  wher- 
ever there  is  an  open  door." 

The  repast  was  concluded,  and  the  guests  separated. 

"What  an  evening  of  gladness!  "  said  Amabel.  "Art 
thou  not  pleased,  dear  Rebecca,  that  we  were  bidden?" 

"I  have  had  unwonted  joy  and  profit  in  the  friendly 
converse  and  warm  hospitality.  What  a  noble  Roman 
is  Marcius!  his  whole  heart  seems  filled  with  the  New 
Faith!" 

"Yea,"  said  Serenus.  "The  seed  of  the  Word  hath 
sprung  up  quickly  within  him  because  he  was  in  readi- 
ness. Men  everywhere  hunger  for  the  simple  bread  of 
life,  but  how  often  stones  are  set  before  them!  " 

Marcius  retired  to  his  cubiculum,  but  slumber  refused 
to  be  wooed  by  his  eyelids.  Whether  in  the  light  or 
darkness,  the  pure,  beautiful  face  of  Rebecca  stood  out 
before  him.  To  him  she  was  a  saint,  —  a  fitting  em- 
bodiment of  a  seraphic  spirit  in  womanly  form.  His 
mind  was  filled  with  a  rushing  procession  of  unwonted 
thoughts,  — 


39^  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Blessed  be  the  New  Faith,  which  not  only  hath 
healed  the  restlessness  of  my  former  state,  but  yielded 
this  vision  of  beauty!  Blessed  be  Serenus!  and  blessed 
above  all  be  the  God  of  all  the  earth! 

"  Can  she  ever  love  me,  who  am  but  the  remnant  of  a 
wasted  life?  Nay,  not  so!  Serenus  says  we  have  di- 
vinity within  us,  and  the  destiny  of  sons  of  God!  What 
an  inspiration!  I  knew  not  what  I  was,  but  now  have 
found  myself! 

"  Can  I  presume  to  win  such  a  love  as  that  of  Rebecca  ? 
Peradventure,  it  hath  been  bestowed  upon  one  of  her 
own  nation ! 

"  Behold  the  wonder  of  Tarsus  should  the  Vice  Legate 
wed  a  Hebrew !  A  deposition  from  Caesar !  The  con- 
tempt of  the  city  !  I  care  not !  My  life  I  give  to  the 
New  Faith! 

"Again  that  vision  of  loveliness  cometh  over  met 
Never  before  have  I  known  love,  but  only  its  semblance ! 
Naught  but  the  New  Faith  could  reveal  and  interpret  its 
bliss!" 

When  Marcius  finally  resigned  himself  to  the  woo- 
ing of  Morpheus,  his  visions  were  paradisiacal,  beatific, 
elysian. 


A  few  evenings  later  Leander  called  his  trusted  slave 
Metopus  to  his  presence. 

"  Dost  thou  know  well  Colurus,  a  servitor  in  the  palace 
of  Marcius?  " 

"  I  have  known  him  long,  my  lord  ! " 

"  Thinkest  thou  that  he  regardeth  gold  ? " 


A   PARADISE   DISCOVERED  397 

"  I  doubt  it  not,  my  lord !  Its  glitter  dazzles  his 
eyes !  " 

"  Thy  loyalty  I  know  to  be  steadfast,  Metopus.  I  have 
a  secret  errand.  Dost  thou  sometimes  meet  Colurus  ?  " 

"We  shall  meet  to-night  at  the  games.  What  wouldst 
thou?" 

Leander  drew  from  beneath  the  fold  of  his  tunic  the 
small  shining  phial  containing  the  potion,  and  also  a 
purse  of  gold. 

"  I  would  have  this  potion  administered  to  the  Vice 
Legate !  It  hath  no  taste  nor  smell,  and  may  be  mixed 
in  any  of  his  drinks  without  suspicion." 

Metopus  gave  a  knowing  wink  to  his  master. 

"And  will  he  fall  down  when  he  hath  swallowed  it? 
Perchance  our  footprints  could  not  be  covered  !  " 

"  Ha  1  thou  sayest  well,  but  I  am  no  fool ! " 

"Nay,  I  have  served  thee  too  long  not  to  know  thy 
wisdom ! " 

"  Its  power  worketh  very  slowly,  so  that  no  consequence 
can  ever  be  discovered." 

"  Not  only  a  poet  and  an  orator,  my  master,  but  a  veri- 
table wonder-worker ! " 

"Spare  thy  applause  for  this  time,  Metopus!  I  say 
to  thee  that  a  slow  decline,  which  cometh  only  with 
months  and  years,  seemeth  natural." 

"  I  understand." 

"  Give  the  gold  and  the  potion  to  Colurus,  and  swear, 
by  the  visage  of  Apollo,  that  no  harm  will  ever  be  trace- 
able! Nay,  tell  any  story  that  seemeth  expedient,  for 
thou  art  cunning  !  " 

The  plot  was  carried  out  in  every  detail. 


398  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Time  rolled  on.  The  disciples  of  the  New  Faith  in- 
creased in  number,  and  ere  long  included  the  father  and 
mother  of  Rebecca.  Their  meetings  were  frequent,  and 
though  held  quietly,  were  without  special  secrecy.  They 
usually  assembled  at  the  rooms  of  Serenus,  but  some- 
times at  the  residence  of  Benoni. 


IN  DEEP  WATERS  399 


CHAPTER    XXXI 

IN   DEEP   WATERS 

"  Yet  I  argue  not 

Against  Heav'n's  hand  01  will,  nor  bate  a  jot 
Of  heart  or  hope;  but  still  bear  up  and  steer 
Right  onward." 

THE  days  and  nights  in  the  cave  glided  by  rapidly  and 
serenely  with  Saulus  and  Amoz.  The  stillness  of  the 
place,  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  the  mountains  and 
valleys,  the  companionship  of  wild  animals  and  birds, 
the  luxuriance  of  verdure  and  blossom,  and  the  sublime 
view  of  the  distant  sea  which  the  heights  afforded, —  all 
were  ministrant  to  soul-growth  and  inspiration.  Much 
time  was  also  given  to  a  reinterpretation  of  the  law  and 
sacred  writings  of  the  prophets,  copies  of  which  had  been 
brought  with  them. 

At  intervals  Saulus  made  short  journeys  to  the  shep- 
herd villages  in  the  adjacent  country,  and  as  occasion 
afforded  began  to  teach  and  preach  the  New  Faith  to 
such  of  the  scattered  herdsmen  as  were  within  reach. 
This  was  but  a  light  labor,  and  he  counted  his  experience 
as  an  easy  school  in  the  practice  and  power  of  the  great 
work  of  the  future  towards  which  he  was  already  look- 
ing with  earnest  anticipation.  Only  the  consciousness 
of  a  rapidly  growing  capacity  to  teach,  and  the  favorable 


4OO  VICTOR  SERENUS 

circumstances  for  the  building  up  of  an  unwonted  spir- 
itual energy  and  equipment,  reconciled  his  intense  and 
untiring  soul  to  a  continuance  of  the  sojourn  in  the 
desert. 

In  the  decision  of  Cassia,  Saulus  increasingly  realized 
that  a  weight  had  been  lifted  from  the  freedom  and  use- 
fulness of  his  future  life,  and  although  some  yearnings 
of  heart  were  not  easily  stilled,  his  mastery  over  them 
grew  more  complete.  In  the  broader  and  more  harmo- 
nious disposition  of  soul  which  he  now  commanded,  he 
was  astonished  and  humiliated  as  he  looked  back  at 
the  wonderful  charm  which  the  untaught  and  impulsive 
daughter  of  Almon  formerly  possessed  for  him.  He 
had  left  forever  behind  the  fantasy  and  unregulated 
passion  which  in  time  past  raged  within  his  soul,  and 
was  now  able  to  view  life  in  its  true  and  broadened 
perspective. 

In  due  time  he  received  a  letter  from  Rebecca  which 
warmed  his  heart.  It  ran  as  follows :  — 

Chisleu,  XXIVth  day. 
"  HOUSE  OF  BENONI,  TARSUS. 

"O  my  dear  Saulus! 

"Peace,  joy,  and  warm  greetings  to  thee,  my  brother! 

"Thy  letter  from  a  cave  of  Horeb,  in  the  wilderness 
of  Arabia,  hath  come  to  my  hand,  and  it  rejoiceth  my 
heart  unspeakably! 

"O  Saulus!  thou  a  disciple  of  the  New  Faith!  Do 
not  mine  eyes  deceive  me?  What  a  marvel  hath  God 
wrought!  Behold  his  loving  mercy  endureth  forever! 
The  Spirit  of  Truth  was  in  and  around  thee,  and  would 
not  be  put  away  until  it  touched  and  melted  thy  heart 


IN  DEEP    WATERS  40 1 

And  the  love  of  my  soul  also  went  with  thee,  even  in  thy 
persecutions,  and  would  not  be  satisfied  until  thou  wast 
awakened  and  didst  come  to  thyself. 

"Behold  I  have  such  an  abundance  of  good  tidings 
to  give  thee  that  of  a  surety  my  epistle  will  gladden 
thy  heart,  even  as  thy  message  from  the  cave  made  us 
rejoice  greatly.  Many  unwonted  events  have  come  to 
pass  in  our  native  city,  some  of  which  I  will  briefly 
recount. 

"  When  thou  didst  banish  the  noble  Serenus  from  the 
Holy  City,  Amabel,  the  daughter  of  Gamaliel,  upon  her 
release,  became  his  wife  and  fled  with  him,  and  returned 
not  to  her  father's  house.  They  journeyed  to  Casarea 
and  took  ship  for  Tarsus,  on  the  way  to  Rome,  toward 
which  they  had  set  their  faces.  The  vessel  was  sunk  in 
the  depths  of  the  sea,  but  behold  every  soul  on  board 
was  saved  and  brought  to  Tarsus  by  the  Vice  Legate, 
whose  ship  chanced  to  be  near  at  hand.  And  now  I 
make  known  unto  thee  the  most  marvellous  thing  of  all. 
Through  the  faithful  devotion  and  teaching  of  Serenus 
and  Amabel,  both  the  Vice  Legate  and  our  father  and 
mother  have  become  disciples  of  the  New  Faith.  I  am 
persuaded  that  thy  heart  will  leap  for  joy  when  these 
tidings  meet  thine  eyes!  An  iniquitous  outbreak  of  per- 
secution in  Tarsus,  which  seemed  only  evil,  was  blessed 
in  the  ripening  of  this  good  harvest. 

"  On  the  day  of  a  great  festival  in  the  temple  and  gar- 
dens of  Apollo,  when  the  throng  was  great  in  the  streets, 
our  people  were  cruelly  set  upon  as  they  came  from  the 
services  of  the  synagogue.  It  arose  from  a  lying  rumor, 
and  came  so  swiftly  that  many  of  the  Hebrews  were 


402  VICTOR  SERENUS 

wounded  or  faint  from  flight  before  they  could  reach 
their  habitations.  Thus  it  chanced  with  our  father  and 
mother,  but  before  many  days  they  were  fully  restored. 

"The  rabble  sorely  bruised  and  trampled  upon  my 
body,  and  peradventure  I  should  have  perished,  but  in 
my  flight,  Marcius,  the  Vice  Legate,  and  Serenus  saved 
me  from  their  hands.  They  brought  me  to  the  dwelling- 
place  of  Amabel,  which  is  connected  with  the  Legate's 
palace.  Through  her  ministration,  with  that  of  Sere- 
nus, I  was  speedily  healed. 

"  Marcius  is  a  noble  Roman  whose  heart  is  warmed  by 
the  New  Faith,  and  his  kindness  to  Serenus  and  Ama- 
bel, and  even  to  me,  hath  been  continuous.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  household  of  the  higher  life  in  Tarsus  are 
increasing  in  number,  and  all  have  much  gladness  in  the 
freedom  of  the  Truth.  Our  gatherings  for  mutual  con- 
verse, encouragement,  and  communion  with  the  Spirit 
are  often  held  at  the  house  of  our  father  Benoni,  and  the 
Vice  Legate  hath  been  here  with  the  others. 

"The  life  and  teaching  of  the  great  prophet  of  Naza- 
reth are  faithfully  set  before  us  by  Serenus,  and  faith, 
love,  and  spiritual  singleness  are  strengthened  and  mul- 
tiplied. Some  who  were  sick  have  been  healed,  the 
lame  made  to  walk,  evil  spirits  cast  out,  and  the  whole 
gospel  of  salvation  proclaimed  to  such  as  have  ears  to 
hear.  Outward  signs  and  works  of  mercy  give  abundant 
witness  to  the  working  of  the  power  of  God  within. 

"All  have  great  joy  in  the  letter  which  thou  didst 
send,  and  hope  shortly  that  they  may  behold  thy  face 
in  thy  native  city. 

"  Serenus  sendeth  his  warm  brotherly  greetings,  and 


IN  DEEP  WATERS  403 

our  father  and  mother  have  great  comfort  in  their  hearts 
concerning  thy  latter  course. 

"  Peace  and  blessing  be  multiplied  to  thee ! 

"REBECCA." 

Tears  of  joy  coursed  down  the  cheeks  of  Saulus  as 
he  finished  reading  the  letter.  He  folded  it  to  his 
bosom,  went  out  of  the  cave,  and  made  his  way  up  to 
a  frequented  seat  upon  the  heights. 

The  late  afternoon  sun,  not  too  hot,  softly  gilded  the 
surrounding  Sinaitic  peaks,  and  kindled  a  golden  radi- 
ance upon  the  vast  expanse  of  the  distant  Red  Sea  in 
the  west.  Every  tree,  plant,  blossom,  and  bird  seemed 
to  be  rejoicing  in  the  rich,  warm  glow  which  bathed 
heaven  and  earth  with  its  beauty. 

The  objective  world  was  the  fitting  symbol  and  cor- 
respondence of  the  joy  and  fruition  which  flooded  and 
enlarged  the  soul  of  Saulus.  The  message  from  Rebecca 
softened  and  melted  the  few  hard  vestiges  of  his  former 
state,  and  the  tender  greeting  from  Serenus  caused  a 
great  upheaval  of  love  and  thanksgiving.  The  dark 
clouds  of  past  memories  were  dissolved  and  scattered 
by  the  warm  sunshine  from.  Tarsus. 

To  Saulus  the  light  of  God  was  within  and  without, 
and  each  seemed  but  a  varying  aspect  of  one  continu- 
ous and  many-sided  Revelation.  Man  was  the  crown  of 
Nature,  and  in  him  its  apex  towered  up  until  it  touched 
and  became  one  with  its  Author.  How  shrunken, 
mean,  and  unlovely  the  life  of  the  past,  which  was  now 
dimmed  and  even  overflowed  by  the  privileges  and  possi- 
bilities of  the  future  which  were  unfolded  before  him. 


404  VICTOR  SERENUS 

A  procession  of  months  went  by,  and  the  time  arrived 
when  Saulus,  strengthened  and  confirmed  in  spirit  and 
power  by  his  long  retirement,  was  ready  and  eager  to  en- 
ter again  the  busy  world  of  men.  Any  hardship,  or  even 
persecution,  which  he  might  meet  would  not  discourage, 
but  rather  stimulate,  his  activity.  Like  other  great  souls 
who  have  recognized  eternal  principles,  he  knew  that 
the  progress  of  Truth  was  hastened  by  opposition.  To 
encounter  indifference  would  be  far  worse,  but  this  could 
not  be.  A  man  whose  inner  nature  is  at  a  white  heat 
must  and  will  arouse  antagonism.  Error  smarts  when 
revealed  by  the  rays  of  Truth.  There  can  be  no  truce. 
Enthusiasm  begets  other  enthusiasm,  which  may  be  either 
for  or  against  itself,  but  in  its  presence  stagnation  is 
impossible.  One  earnest  soul  stored  with  the  dynamics 
of  Faith  will  accomplish  more  than  a  thousand  whose 
spiritual  outgoings  are  feeble  and  uncertain. 

Saulus  was  deeply  moved  as  he  finally  left  the  se- 
cluded dwelling-place  which  had  been  hallowed  by  so 
many  profitable  experiences,  and  the  scene  of  so  much 
soul-growth.  But  the  fulness  of  time  had  come,  and 
with  Amoz  he  gladly  set  out  upon  the  long  journey. 
After  an  uneventful  crossing  of  the  desert  they  reached 
Damascus  in  due  season. 

Making  their  way  to  the  house  of  Ananias,  they  were 
hospitably  received.  Saulus  lost  no  time  in  visiting 
the  synagogues,  and  immediately  began  to  preach  the 
higher  life  in  spiritual  simplicity  as  it  had  been  pro- 
claimed by  Jesus. 

The  Jewish  Hellenists  and  proselytes  were  numerous 
in  Damascus,  and  up  to  the  time  of  the  arrival  of 


IN  DEEP  WATERS  405 

Saulus,  the  liberal  party,  including  those  who  had  nomi- 
nally accepted  the  New  Faith,  lived  in  mutual  tolera- 
tion with  the  bigoted  school  of  the  Halacha,  which  was 
much  more  powerful.  But  now  the  dry  bones  were 
shaken.  Soon  the  burning  and  unanswerable  arguments 
of  Saulus  awoke  a  storm  of  angry  opposition.  The 
slumber  in  dead  forms  was  rudely  ended,  and  fierce 
persecution  began. 

Ananias  and  the  little  band  of  liberal  Jews  found 
themselves  utterly  unable  to  quiet  the  storm  which  this 
dangerous  intruder  aroused.  It  was  as  if  Stephanos 
had  arisen  and  come  back  to  shatter  the  self-sufficiency 
and  deadness  of  ceremonialism,  and  now,  as  in  his  time, 
religious  intolerance  burst  aflame. 

The  life  of  Saulus  was  demanded.  The  Ethnarch  of 
the  city,  who  commanded  the  garrison,  being  in  sympathy 
with  the  persecution,  lent  his  aid  to  the  conspiracy  to 
end  the  career  of  the  over-zealous  young  heretic.  The 
gates  of  the  city  were  watched  night  and  day  to  pre- 
vent his  escape.  Was  his  work  to  be  brought  to  a  close 
before  it  had  fairly  begun? 

Not  another  day  must  pass  or  it  would  be  too  late 
to  save  him.  There  was  a  hurried  consultation  of  his 
friends.  Happy  thought!  the  house  of  one  of  them 
abutted  upon  the  city  wall !  The  plot  may  yet  be  frus- 
trated !  He  is  secretly  conducted  to  this  house  in  the 
evening.  The  night  is  dark,  and  the  sentry  passes  but 
infrequently  !  A  little  knot  of  faithful  friends  with  anx- 
ious hearts  are  on  the  watch  !  A  large  basket  held  by  a 
strong  rope  hangs  out  of  the  window  over  the  wall.  All 
is  still,  and  Saulus  steps  in.  The  sentry  goes  by,  and 


406  VICTOR  SERENUS 

now  strong  hands  lower  the  basket,  down,  down,  carefully 
but  swiftly.  It  reaches  the  ground  ! 

By  previous  understanding  Amoz  is  not  far  away,  and 
arm  in  arm  they  go  out  into  the  darkness.  Surely  an 
ignominious  beginning ! 

One  warm  afternoon  a  few  weeks  later  Saulus  and 
Amoz  approached  the  Damascus  Gate  of  the  Holy  City. 
Though  hot  and  weary  from  their  journey,  as  they  came 
near  its  end  they  were  imbued  with  new  life  and  courage. 

In  many  of  the  towns  and  villages  through  which  they 
had  come  Saulus  discoursed  in  the  synagogues,  but  made 
no  lengthy  sojourn,  as  he  was  anxious  to  reach  Jerusa- 
lem and  confer  with  Peter,  Barnabas,  and  other  disciples 
of  the  New  Faith. 

As  they  entered  the  well-remembered  portal,  Saulus 
was  reminded  of  the  brilliant  cavalcade  at  the  head  of 
which  he  formerly  passed  out,  as  compared  with  his  un- 
heralded return  on  foot  with  but  one  of  his  many  com- 
panions. But  despite  the  contrast,  a  great  flood  of 
thankfulness  filled  his  heart. 

A  multitude  of  strange  thoughts  crowded  upon  him  as 
his  eyes  rested  again  upon  familiar  places  and  scenes. 
Should  he  show  his  face  boldly,  or  for  a  while  avoid  his 
old  friends  and  companions? 

What  of  Cassia  and  the  household  of  Almon,  his  com- 
rades of  the  Urim,  the  Rabban,  and  the  Sanhedrin? 

Here  was  the  Lyceum,  where  he  had  hotly  contended 
for  the  hard  dogmas  of  the  Jewish  law;  here  the  many 
places  where  he  had  scourged  men,  women,  and  children ; 
and  here  the  prison  whose  cruel  doors,  at  his  command, 
had  closed  upon  Serenus,  Amabel,  and  the  rest  of  the 


IN  DEEP   WATERS  40? 

congregation  of  the  Upper  Chamber.  He  felt  like  a 
stranger  from  some  far  country,  and  the  past  flitted  be- 
fore him  as  a  dark  and  terrible  dream  from  which  he 
had  newly  awakened. 

Somewhat  changed  in  appearance  and  costume,  he 
passed  through  several  streets  unrecognized,  finally  turn- 
ing into  the  courtyard  of  a  dwelling  where  he  had  been 
told  in  Damascus  he  would  find  Peter  and  Barnabas. 
Amoz,  after  an  affectionate  farewell,  left  him  to  seek 
some  of  his  own  kinsfolk  who  dwelt  in  another  part  of 
the  city. 

In  response  to  a  knock  at  the  door  of  the  house  of 
Peter,  it  was  opened  by  a  maid,  who  when  she  saw  his 
face  uttered  a  loud  cry,  and  shrank  back  affrighted  into 
the  house.  Then  Peter's  wife  came  quickly  to  see  what 
had  happened.  She  too  looked  upon  the  well-remem- 
bered features,  exclaiming  with  great  fear  and  agita- 
tion, — 

"  Thou  art  Saulus  !  Hast  thou  returned  to  take  us  to 
prison  ? " 

"  Nay,  I  bring  peace  to  this  house !  I  am  no  more  a 
persecutor,  but  of  the  New  Faith  I  I  pray  thee,  is  Peter 
within  ? " 

Peter's  wife  suspected  craftiness,  and  did  not  believe 
him,  but  stood  trembling,  not  knowing  how  to  make 
reply. 

"  Peter  is  not  within  !  "  said  she  after  some  hesitation. 

"  I  might  have  expected  that  all  would  flee  from  me  !  " 
said  Saulus,  half  to  himself.  "  A  righteous  retribution !  " 
Then,  continuing  in  an  earnest  and  friendly  tone,  he 
said,  — 


408  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"Of  a  surety  I  am  now  a  follower  of  the  Nazarene !  " 

Peter's  wife  still  hesitated,  not  knowing  what  to  be- 
lieve, and  Saulus  turned  sorrowfully  away,  saying,  — 

"Tell  Peter  that  I  love  the  brethren!  I  will  come 
again  after  his  return." 

The  maid  had  escaped  from  the  house,  and  quickly 
warned  the  faithful  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood. 
Many  fled  from  their  homes,  taking  their  children  with 
them,  believing  that,  as  Saulus  had  returned,  a  new  per- 
secution was  at  hand.  Consternation  reigned,  and  word 
was  sent  out  among  the  disciples  in  other  parts  of  the 
city  that  they  were  again  to  be  harassed  and  hunted 
down. 

Saulus  was  sorely  grieved  when  he  left  the  house  of 
Peter.  He  was  counted  an  enemy  among  his  friends. 
He  almost  wished  himself  back  in  the  desert. 

It  was  now  evening,  and  not  expedient  to  visit  Peter's 
house  before  the  morrow.  He  walked  aimlessly  along 
the  street  hardly  knowing  what  to  do,  but  being  weary, 
and  seeing  a  small  inn  near  by,  entered,  thinking  to  so- 
journ for  the  night.  After  removing  the  dust  and  sweat 
of  the  journey,  and  partaking  of  a  light  supper,  he 
walked  out  to  enjoy  the  cool  of  the  evening,  and  calm 
his  troubled  thoughts.  The  moon  was  bright,  the  air 
soft,  the  streets  crowded,  and  the  sound  of  voices  and 
laughter  echoed  from  the  house-tops. 

What  a  contrast  with  the  desert  and  cave !  What  a 
great  network,  and  even  tangle,  of  disagreeing  interests, 
systems,  opinions,  and  religions  !  How  sorely  the  world 
needed  the  resolving  and  transforming  power  of  the 
new  life,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  higher  law!  Selfish- 


IN  DEEP   WATERS  409 

ness,  prejudice,  sensuality,  and  devotion  to  the  seen  and 
temporal,  everywhere  dominant!  What  a  change  in  him- 
self, and  in  his  interpretation  of  life! 

As  these  reflections  coursed  through  his  mind,  he 
found  himself  at  the  entrance  of  one  of  the  public  gar- 
dens which  skirted  the  slope  of  Mount  Moriah.  The 
spicy  odor  of  plant  and  blossom  lent  a  charm  to  the 
place,  and  being  in  a  meditative  mood,  he  entered  and 
seated  himself  in  a  retired  corner  of  one  of  the  bowers. 
Groups  of  people  were  all  around,  some  seated  and 
others  promenading,  seeking  the  enjoyment  of  social 
converse  and  recreation.  Occasional  peals  of  laughter 
and  snatches  of  song  gave  evidence  of  the  light-hearted- 
ness  of  the  children  of  the  Orient. 

But  Saulus  was  wrapped  in  a  more  profound  revery. 
With  a  heart  full  of  love  he  had  come  to  bear  a  great 
blessing  to  the  Holy  City,  but  none  would  receive  it. 
To  his  old  friends  he  was  now  a  renegade  and  traitor, 
while  to  his  new  brethren  he  was  a  terror  and  a  cause 
of  offence.  O  ungrateful  world!  With  head  bowed 
between  his  hands,  the  hot  tears  could  not  be  held 
back. 

A  young  man  and  woman  from  among  the  promena- 
ders  sat  down  near  him.  Although  they  were  hard  by, 
a  partial  partition  of  vines  intervened,  effectually  seclud- 
ing him.  He  started  to  arise,  but  could  not  retreat 
without  passing  directly  before  them  in  the  full  moon- 
light to  the  entrance  of  the  bower.  Moreover,  the  con- 
versation could  not  concern  him,  so  he  kept  his  seat. 

"Thou  seemest  sad,  and  not  like  thyself  to-night,  my 
Cassia !  " 


410  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Saulus  was  thunderstruck.  But  to  fly  would  be  to 
reveal  his  identity. 

There  was  no  response.     The  voice  continued,  — 

"  The  last  full  moon  witnessed  our  marriage  feast,  and 
behold  the  light  of  this  revealeth  thy  sadness ! " 

"  Peradventure  thou  judgest  not  rightly,  Ezra  1 " 

"Why,  then,  hast  thou  become  silent?  I  hear  no 
more  thy  wonted  cheerful  converse  !  thou  art  downcast ! " 

"  To-night  I  am  given  to  meditation  !  " 

"Have  I  given  thee  offence?" 

"I  have  made  no  complaint!" 

"But  why  so  unhappy,  Cassia?  Dost  thou  not  love 
thy  husband  ?  " 

"  Oh,  question  me  not !  I  feel  strangely  to-night !  " 
she  exclaimed  rather  petulantly. 

"Have  I  done  aught  to  offend  thee?" 

"  I  have  no  condemnation  !  " 

"  As  thy  husband,  I  rightfully  claim  to  know  why  thou 
art  disquieted." 

"  I  cannot  reveal  my  thoughts  !      Let  me  be  silent  1  " 

"Thou  dost  set  thy  face  against  me,  Cassia  !  "  he  ex- 
claimed with  some  earnestness. 

"  Rebuke  me  not,  I  pray  thee  !  If  I  am  disconsolate, 
it  lieth  not  within  me  to  be  otherwise  !  " 

"Why  didst  thou  become  my  wife,  if  my  presence  is 
disquieting?  " 

"  I  have  made  no  such  accusation  !  " 

"Aha!"  he  exclaimed  bitterly.  "I  am  persuaded  that 
thy  thoughts  turn  towards  thy  former  lover,  Saulus  !  " 

"  For  shame,   Ezra  !  thou  speakest  foolishness  !  " 

"Thou  canst  not  deny  it!" 


IN  DEEP    WATERS  411 

"  Thou  art  cruel,  and  dost  not  love  me  !  "  The  tone 
was  that  of  impatient  reproach. 

"  Thou  hast  deceived  me  !  I  am  persuaded  that  there 
is  love  in  thy  heart  for  Saulus  !  Thou  declared  unto 
me  that  thou  didst  hold  him  in  contempt !  " 

"  Thou  knowest  not  to  the  contrary  !  " 

"  Thou  hast  betrayed  thyself,  Cassia  !  I  would  that 
thou  hadst  given  thyself  to  the  mad  heretic,  and  that 
mine  eyes  had  never  beheld  thy  comely  but  false  face  !  " 

Frantic  weeping,  moans,  and  flighty  laughter  gave  evi- 
dence that  Cassia  had  suddenly  become  moonstruck  or 
hysterical. 

"  O  Saulus  !  why  did  I  scorn  thee  ?  O  Saulus !  Saulus  ! 
I  seem  to  feel  thy  presence  —  near  —  me  —  even  —  now ! 
O  Saulus!  Saulus!" 


412  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

SCOURGING   AND    FLIGHT 

ON  the  following  morning  Saulus  was  up  betimes, 
after  a  restless  night,  which  was  marked  by  dreams  and 
visions  of  varying  import. 

It  would  be  unreasonable  to  expect  that  as  yet  he 
was  able  to  put  under  foot  all  adversities,  and  continu- 
ally dwell  upon  the  heights  of  a  spiritual  conscious- 
ness. Even  in  a  great  and  lofty  soul,  Adam  dies  hard, 
and  in  an  intense  nature  he  rights  desperately  for  his 
life,  and  has  many  apparent  resurrections.  Spiritual 
evolution  has  its  ebb  and  flow,  and  except  from  a  broad 
point  of  view  its  declensions  often  appear  to  be  endur- 
ing. As  with  material  structures,  if  the  work  projected 
is  to  reach  beyond  the  hidden  foundation,  it  must  needs 
wait  until  the  latter  is  broadened. 

While  Saulus  had  a  good  measure  of  the  same  spirit 
which  filled  the  great  Prophet  of  Nazareth,  he  also  had  an 
earnest  desire  during  his  stay  in  the  Holy  City  to  learn 
more  of  the  particulars  of  the  Master's  outward  life. 

At  the  rising  of  the  sun  he  set  out  for  Golgotha.  He 
fain  would  stand  upon  the  spot  of  the  great  Martyr- 
dom. Even  the  hallowed  ground,  with  its  associations, 
would  be  a  means  of  inspiration  to  one  like  Saulus.  As 
he  reached  the  skull-shaped  hill,  the  sun  was  shining 


SCOURGING    AND  FLIGHT  413 

brightly,  the  air  clear  and  soft,  and  the  whole  scene 
quiet  and  peaceful.  He  felt  a  benediction  1 

How  much  the  great  Tragedy  that  was  here  consum- 
mated signifies  to  the  world  1  How  the  outgoing  circles 
of  spiritual  life  and  love  ever  pulsate  from  this  centre ! 
No  nation  is  too  remote  to  be  washed  and  beat  upon 
by  its  outgoing  waves,  for  a  divine  discontent  never  per- 
mits of  stagnation  ! 

Golgotha,  or  the  hill  of  Calvary,  was  a  peculiarly 
sacred  place  to  the  disciples,  and  they  often  resorted 
to  its  summit  for  converse  and  meditation. 

As  Saulus  lingered,  busy  with  the  thoughts  of  the 
past  and  questions  of  the  future,  a  man,  apparently  hav- 
ing the  same  purpose,  came  near.  Lo,  it  was  Barnabas  ! 

They  beheld  each  other,  face  to  face,  and  surprise 
was  pictured  upon  the  features  of  both. 

"  And  thou  here,  Saulus ! "  said  Barnabas,  involuntarily 
drawing  back  with  trepidation. 

"  O  Barnabas,  hear  me  !  I  love  thee  and  all  the  breth- 
ren !  "  Stepping  forward,  he  embraced  his  old  friend, 
saluting  him  warmly. 

"  Saulus  numbered  among  the  disciples  !  "  said  Barna- 
bas, putting  his  hands  upon  his  shoulders  and  earnestly 
looking  into  his  face,  still  hardly  able  to  believe  the 
truth. 

"As  I  live,"  said  Saulus,  "my  heart  hath  been  warmed 
by  the  New  Faith  !  Oh,  receive  my  testimony  I " 

"I  doubt  no  more,  and  rejoice  in  thy  behalf.  Ac- 
cept a  brother's  welcome  !  " 

Falling  on  each  other's  necks,  they  had  great  joy  in 
a  fellowship  of  faith  and  love. 


414  VICTOR  SERENUS 

After  a  season  of  delightful  converse,  they  started,  arm 
in  arm,  for  the  city.  Barnabas  gladly  went  with  Saulus 
to  the  house  of  Peter,  and  set  him  and  the  other  dis- 
ciples aright  concerning  their  former  persecutor. 

"Thou  sayest,"  said  Saulus,  "that  the  churches  have 
peace,  and  are  edified,  and  walk  in  the  comfort  of  the 
Spirit !  Hath  the  Sanhedrin  ceased  all  persecution 
against  them  ? " 

"Of  late  it  seemeth  to  have  given  little  heed  to  us, 
so  we  have  in  no  wise  been  disquieted.  They  have 
not  hindered  us  from  teaching  that  Jesus  was  indeed 
a  great  Prophet." 

"  How  is  it  that  their  bitterness  hath  been  put  away  ? " 

"  Peradventure  that  Gamaliel  and  other  of  the  liberal 
Jews  counselled  that  we  be  let  alone  until  our  doctrine 
came  to  naught,  and  also  because  the  disciples  in  great 
measure  have  returned  to  a  conformity  to  the  wonted 
ordinances  and  ceremonies." 

A  shadow  passed  over  the  face  of  Saulus. 

"Dost  thou  not  count  such  a  conformity  as  a  fellow- 
ship with  dead  works?  I  am  minded  that  the  gospel 
should  be  separate,  and  that  the  household  of  the  New 
Faith  should  be  counted  no  longer  as  a  Jewish  sect  1 " 

"  It  hath  seemed  expedient  to  some  that  for  the  pres- 
ent the  ordinances  be  continued  for  the  sake  of  peace, 
but  verily  I  am  persuaded  that  our  spiritual  life  hath 
been  deadened  thereby,  and  its  power  diminished.  Now 
that  thou  art  here  to  cast  in  thy  lot  with  us,  our  zeal  may 
be  warmed,  and  we  receive  a  quickening." 

It  seems  probable  that  the  Sanhedrin  had  come  to  re- 
gard the  church  of  Peter,  James,  and  John  as  but  one 


SCOURGING  AND  FLIGHT  415 

more  sect  added  to  the  complex  Jewish  economy,  which 
was  willing  to  continue  the  established  ritual.  But  in 
the  movement  of  Jesus,  and  afterward  of  Stephanos  and 
Saulus,  it  discerned  a  disturbing  and  vital  force  which 
in  due  time  would  logically  supplant  Judaism  through 
the  establishment  of  a  religion  radically  different. 

It  was  not  difficult  for  Barnabas  to  reconcile  the  dis- 
ciples to  Saulus,  for  not  only  was  his  sincerity  manifest, 
but  his  earnest  aggressiveness  in  their  behalf  was  bold 
and  untiring. 

The  law  of  specific  gravity  among  souls  is  no  less  in- 
variable and  operative  than  with  fluids  and  solids.  If  a 
born  commander  be  placed  in  the  ranks  of  the  private, 
he  will  not  remain,  for  all  the  laws  of  the  universe  con- 
spire to  lift  him  into  his  fitting  niche.  The  moral  and 
spiritual  dynamics  of  a  great  soul  can  no  more  stay 
pent  up  than  the  forces  that  stir  a  volcano  into  activity. 
The  advent  of  Saulus  into  the  Holy  City  ended  all  in- 
difference and  stagnation,  and  soon  the  various  elements 
were  glowing  at  a  white  heat. 

But  a  few  days  elapsed  after  his  arrival  before  he  be- 
gan teaching  and  preaching  in  the  synagogues.  Among 
all  the  enemies  who  sprung  up  to  oppose  his  work  and 
persecute  him,  none  were  more  bitter  and  unrelenting 
than  his  former  comrades  of  the  Urim.  These  were  the 
same  who  once  had  glorified  him  beyond  measure. 

The  dignified  Sanhedrin  for  the  time  was  disposed  to 
close  its  official  ears  to  the  work  of  their  former  agent 
and  instrument,  doubtless  having  in  mind  their  moral 
discomfiture  at  the  trial  of  Stephanos.  They  thought  it 
more  politic  to  leave  the  rabble  to  deal  with  him  through 


416  VICTOR  SERENUS 

some  sudden  outbreak  than  to  take  formal  cognizance  of 
his  heresies  through  the  procedure  of  a  regular  trial. 

Saulus  boldly  entered  into  the  synagogues  of  the 
Hellenists,  and  eloquently  commended  the  New  Faith, 
contrasting  its  power  and  beauty  with  the  traditions, 
ordinances,  and  dead  works  of  the  Temple  service. 

One  afternoon  at  a  meeting  in  the  synagogue  of  the 
Cyrenians,  Saulus  essayed  to  make  an  address  according 
to  previous  announcement.  It  was  in  the  same  room 
where  Stephanos  had  spoken  with  such  zeal,  and  from 
which  he  had  been  dragged  to  trial  and  condemned. 

Upon  this  occasion  the  enemies  of  Saulus  gathered  in 
strength,  the  members  of  the  Urim,  by  secret  understand- 
ing occupying  the  front  seats,  thoroughly  organized  for 
offensive  action.  He  had  been  warned  of  trouble  by  the 
more  prudent  of  his  friends,  but  would  not  consent  to 
abate  one  jot  of  his  stirring  presentation  of  the  new 
gospel,  and  the  contrasting  hollowness  of  the  whole  cere- 
monial system. 

For  a  full  hour  before  the  opening  of  the  service  the 
synagogue  was  crowded,  and  a  dense  throng  gathered 
outside.  At  length  the  exercises  began.  Saulus  arose 
to  speak,  but  had  hardly  uttered  a  sentence  before  there 
was  such  a  tumult  that  his  voice  could  not  be  heard.  He 
beckoned  for  silence,  but  the  uproar  continued.  At 
length  he  picked  up  a  roll  of  the  law  to  read  from  the 
prophets,  and  the  gathering,  willing  to  show  some  respect 
to  their  Scriptures,  was  quieted.  He  read  the  following 
passages  from  Isaiah  :  — 

" '  To  what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto 
me  ?  saith  the  Lord :  I  am  full  of  the  burnt  offerings  of  rams, 


SCOURGING  AND  FLIGHT  417 

and  the  fat  of  fed  beasts  ;  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood  of 
bullocks,  or  of  lambs,  or  of  he-goats.  .  .  .  Your  new  moons 
and  your  appointed  feasts  my  soul  hateth :  they  are  a  trouble 
unto  me ;  I  am  weary  to  bear  them.  And  when  ye  spread 
forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes  from  you :  yea,  when 
ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not  hear  :  your  hands  are  full  of 
blood.  Wash  you,  make  you  clean  ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your 
doings  from  before  mine  eyes  ;  cease  to  do  evil ;  learn  to  do 
well ;  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed,  judge  the  fatherless, 
plead  for  the  widow.  .  .  .  He  was  oppressed,  yet  he  humbled 
himself,  and  opened  not  his  mouth  ;  as  a  lamb  that  is  led  to  the 
slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  that  before  her  shearers  is  dumb; 
yea,  he  opened  not  his  mouth.' 

"Behold  what  the  Lord  saith  through  the  lips  of 
Isaiah  concerning  sacrifices,  and  burnt  offerings  of  rams, 
and  the  blood  of  lambs  and  he-goats  !  The  voice  of  the 
prophet  bringeth  judgment  and  condemnation  to  this  gen- 
eration !  Wash  you,  and  make  yourselves  clean  through 
the  gospel  of  the  New  Faith  !  Again,  behold  what  Isaiah 
saith  concerning  the  Messias  who  should  arise  in  the 
fulness  of  time  !  '  By  oppression  and  judgment  he  was 
taken  away,  but  there  was  no  deceit  in  his  mouth.' 
Behold  its  fulfilment  in  the  Nazarene ! " 

Laughing  scornfully,  they  cried  out,  — 

"Cursed  be  thy  mouth!  The  Nazarene  was  an  im- 
postor, and  no  Messias ! " 

Listening  no  longer,  they  rushed  madly  forward,  and 
dragged  him  from  the  reading-desk. 

"The  scourge!  the  scourge!  the  scourge!"  shouted 
angry  voices  from  all  parts  of  the  synagogue. 

Looking   steadfastly  into    the  malignant   faces  which 


41 8  VICTOR  SERENUS 

surrounded  him,  a  mingled  expression  of  dignity,  com- 
passion, and  contempt  was  upon  his  countenance.  The 
spiritual  exaltation  of  his  soul  so  overshadowed  his  bodily 
consciousness  that  he  felt  no  fear,  and  neither  he  nor  his 
friends  offered  any  resistance  to  the  howling  mob  which 
threatened  him. 

It  was  one  of  those  upheavals  with  which  history  is 
crowded,  which  have  taken  place  among  nearly  all  races 
and  religions.  There  is  no  crime  nor  indignity  that  has 
not  again  and  again  been  committed  by  religious  bigotry 
gilded  by  assumed  dutiful  consecration. 

Their  decision  was  spontaneous,  and  Saulus  was  taken 
away  without  legal  formality  or  deliberation.  Through 
the  irony  of  fate,  he  was  led  outside  the  gates  to  the 
same  spot  where  Stephanos  had  been  stoned  under  his 
own  supervision. 

Tying  both  of  his  hands  to  a  column,  they  proceeded 
as  was  usual  in  cases  of  punishment  by  the  scourge.  The 
leaders  tore  down  his  robe  until  his  breast  and  shoulders 
were  laid  bare,  then  the  Chazzan  of  the  synagogue,  as  was 
customary,  was  selected  to  administer  the  flagellation. 
The  scourge  was  composed  of  two  thongs  of  ass's  hide 
which  passed  through  a  hole  in  the  handle.  Standing 
on  a  block  of  stone,  behind  the  prisoner,  the  executioner 
wielded  the  blows  with  all  the  force  of  one  hand,  thirteen 
times  on  the  breast,  and  thirteen  back  of  each  shoulder 
—  in  all,  forty,  save  one. 

Although  there  had  been  no  formal  trial  and  condem- 
nation, the  usual  custom  in  cases  of  scourging  was  fol- 
lowed. Three  judges  were  chosen,  —  one  reading  the 
prescribed  passages  from  the  law  while  the  punishment 


SCOURGING  AND   FLIGHT  419 

was  being  inflicted,  the  second  numbering  the  blows,  the 
third  giving  the  order  before  each  blow,  "  Hakkehu " 
(strike  him).  Even  in  the  methods  of  a  mob  the  slavish 
literalism  and  ingrained  devotion  to  traditional  detail  were 
not  lacking. 

Though  the  scourging  was  given  in  full  measure,  Saulus 
was  not  greatly  overcome.  Before  the  first  blow  fell  he 
passed  into  such  a  spiritual  ecstasy  that  little  conscious- 
ness of  the  body  or  of  painful  sensation  was  manifest. 

Among  a  little  group  of  women  who  gathered  to  wit- 
ness the  punishment  was  Cassia,  who  as  the  blows  fell 
had  alternations  of  hysterical  weeping  and  laughter. 
She  insisted  upon  being  present,  and  could  not  be  dis- 
suaded. The  most  opposite  emotions  possessed  her. 
After  the  scourging,  but  before  Saulus  was  led  away,  a 
look  of  recognition  passed  between  them. 

He  was  silent! 

"The  stripes  were  well  laid  on,  and  thou  hast  thy 
just  reward!"  she  cried  with  a  loud,  scornful  voice;  then, 
bursting,  into  tears  and  groans,  she  was  led  away  by 
her  friends.  Hatred  and  love,  burning  in  their  severity, 
struggled  within  her  for  mastery,  but  the  former  vras 
victorious. 

Saulus  rapidly  recovered  from  his  punishment,  and 
utterly  undaunted  by  his  experience,  again  began  preach- 
ing and  teaching.  But  the  brethren  became  apprehen- 
sive for  his  life,  and  also  feared  that  another  general 
persecution  might  begin.  Though  holding  his  power 
and  zeal  in  great  respect,  they  advised  his  immediate 
retirement  from  the  Holy  City.  But  he  was  reluctant 
to  follow  their  counsel.  Soon  a  well-matured  plot  among 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


the  members  of  the  Urim  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
brethren,  and  they  yet  more  strongly  urged  his  flight. 
But  as  it  seemed  like  an  abandonment  of  his  long-cher- 
ished plans,  and  a  dishonor  to  the  cause  which  was  so 
all  important,  he  still  lingered. 

On  the  day  before  a  whispered  conspiracy  was  to  have 
been  consummated,  Saulus  retired  to  a  quiet  place  for 
spiritual  communion  and  guidance.  He  had  trusted  the 
inner  Voice  before,  and  been  led  aright,  why  not  in  the 
present  strait?  The  intensity  of  his  desire  and  emo- 
tion ended  in  a  vision.1  He  entered  into  a  state  where 
a  broadened  outlook  of  condition,  duty,  and  privilege 
was  opened  before  him.  The  dark  curtain  which  made 
the  future  obscure  and  perplexing  was  parted,  and  a 
highway,  leading  forward,  illumined  and  made  plain. 

1  The  Biblical  account  of  this  transaction  (Acts  xxii.  17-21)  is  brief  and 
natural,  and  there  is  no  claim  or  indication  that  the  trance  was  peculiar  or 
miraculous.  Paul,  in  his  visions,  guidances,  and  miracles,  never  assumed  to 
be  more  than  human,  or  unlike  other  imperfect  men,  in  his  experiences. 

Has  anything  done  greater  harm  to  the  Bible  than  the  glamour  that  has 
been  put  upon  it,  and  the  distance  which  has  been  assumed  between  the 
events  therein  related  and  those  which  are  common  to  all  mankind?  The 
laws  which  govern  the  psychical,  moral,  and  spiritual  experiences  of  men  are 
uniform  and  unchangeable.  Otherwise  the  whole  higher  economy  is  chaotic 
and  unreliable. 

If  an  exalted  vision  of  the  Divine,  a  guidance  from  the  inner  Spirit  of 
Truth,  a  miracle  of  healing,  or  an  interview  with  one  who  has  passed  into  the 
Unseen  —  one  or  all  of  these  —  is  possible  in  one  age,  then,  under  like  con- 
ditions, it  is  possible  for  all  time.  If  the  Bible  were  brought  near  and  hu- 
manized, it  would  become  clear,  practical,  and  harmonious.  Its  teachings 
and  history  would  be  spiritually  natural  and  evolutionary.  The  grandest 
work  of  the  present  time  is  its  rescue  from  the  literalism,  strangeness,  and 
dehumanization  with  which  it  has  been  burdened.  It  is  thereby  honored 
and  made  congruous.  The  multitude  of  warring  sects  has  come  from  its 
literalization.  It  is  a  natural  and  simple  record  of  the  experiences  of  men 
of  varying  condition,  some  of  whom  were  spiritually  developed  in  eminent 
degree.  It  is  inspired  because  it  inspires. 


SCOURGING  AND  FLIGHT  42 1 

The  inner  Voice  said,  — 

"Depart,  for  I  will  send  thee  forth  afar  unto  the 
Gentiles!" 

History  is  ever  repeating  itself.  Persecution  of  the 
Truth  scatters  its  seed  and  multiplies  its  influence. 

Saulus  hastily  escaped  from  Jerusalem,  being  con- 
ducted by  his  brethren  as  far  as  Caesarea  on  his  way 
to  Tarsus. 


422  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

A   PRIESTESS    OF   THE   TARSIAN    TEMPLE 

"  How  sweet  and  lovely  dost  thou  make  the  shame 
Which,  like  a  canker  in  the  fragrant  rose, 
Doth  spot  the  beauty  of  thy  budding  name ! 
O,  in  what  sweets  dost  thou  thy  sins  enclose !  " 

A  DAY  of  extreme  heat  was  closing  in  Tarsus.  The 
heavens  were  like  burnished  brass,  and  the  sultry  air 
glowed  as  if  newly  discharged  from  the  mouth  of  a  fur- 
nace. The  sun  had  dropped  behind  a  heavy  mass  of 
leaden  clouds,  tinged  with  crimson,  which  hung  omi- 
nously over  the  distant  range  of  the  western  Taurus, 
though  the  horizon  above  the  city  was  still  clear.  The 
torrid  radiation  from  the  dark  paving-stones  had  arisen 
in  quivering  waves  every  hour  of  the  long  day,  and  pene- 
trated alike  palace  and  hut. 

Marcius  was  seated  in  his  private  library  in  an  ab- 
sorbed though  somewhat  restless  temper  of  mind  There 
are  times  when  the  soul  is  lifted  out  of  the  petty  rou- 
tine of  every-day  living,  and  thus  loosened  from  pres- 
ent environment,  it  soars  abroad  among  scenes  and 
recognitions  long  past,  or,  anon,  essays  to  penetrate  the 
veil  of  the  future.  During  such  seasons  the  human 
spirit  transcends  its  ordinary  limitations,  and  is  up- 
lifted by  aspirations  and  experiences  which  are  beyond 
the  realm  of  cold  logic  and  materialistic  science. 


A   PRIESTESS  OF  THE    TARS1AN  TEMPLE    423 

Of  late  one  portentous  augury  of  bygone  days  lingered 
in  the  mind  of  Marcius  with  untiring  persistency.  It 
was  but  a  brief  deliverance,  yet  it  stood  before  him  in 
letters  of  fire.  He  had  often  thought  it  trivial,  and  dis- 
missed it  from  recollection,  but  as  often  it  returned,  re- 
fusing to  be  barred  out.  Was  it  a  prophetic  curse?  or 
only  a  simple  warning  which  already  had  been  heeded 
and  its  occasion  atoned  for? 

This  evening  the  problem  came  upon  him  afresh,  and 
the  fateful  words  fairly  rung  in  his  ears,  — 

"  Thou  art  incapable  of  love,  and  it  shall  remain  un- 
known to  thee ! " 

How  vividly  that  strange  scene  of  the  past  flashed 
before  him!  The  mysterious  adytum  of  the  Temple; 
the  clammy,  crawling  vapor;  the  uncanny  Shapes;  the 
ghostly  but  beautiful  Alethea,  and  her  divination  of 
the  future! 

He  thought  lightly  of  its  interpretation  when  uttered 
—  now  it  weighed  him  down. 

His  love  for  Rebecca  had  become  a  consuming  flame, 
but  it  was  a  white  flame,  unmingled  with  smoke.  Day 
by  day  every  passing  breeze  fanned  it.  In  her  the 
transparent  beauty  of  the  New  Faith  blossomed  into 
visible  illustration  and  embodiment. 

Marcius  had  not  yet  made  an  avowal  of  his  love,  for 
he  consciously  shrank  from  breaking  in  upon  the  secrecy 
of  the  inner  adoration  of  his  own  soul.  If  she  felt  no 
response,  a  declaration  would  only  rudely  disturb  the 
symmetry  of  his  beautiful  dream,  and  if  perchance  there 
was  a  reciprocal  glow,  the  delightful  mystery,  like  a 
sealed  fragrance,  would  keep.  In  social  relation  with 


424  VICTOR  SERENUS 

him  she  was  natural  and  friendly,  but  anything  beyond 
was  an  enigma. 

But  again  the  direful  words  of  Alethea,  like  the  mut- 
tering of  the  now  distant  thunder,  reverberated  through 
his  soul,  and  disturbed  his  dream  of  bliss.  Was  he  for- 
ever doomed  to  be  a  stranger  to  a  rounded  and  recipro- 
cated love?  Might  not  Alethea  now  relent,  and  dissolve 
her  seeming  curse,  and  grant  a  blessing  instead?  Can 
it  be  that  human  jealousy  invades  the  realm  of  the 
Unseen? 

Could  he  not,  peradventure,  again  invoke  the  fair 
Alethea,  and  while  beseeching  her  own  forgiveness  for 
the  past,  implore  her  blessing  for  the  future? 

The  threatened  storm  gathered  and  burst  with  great 
force  upon  the  city.  Rain,  and  at  intervals  hail,  beat 
upon  the  walls  and  roofs  of  houses,  and  cooled  the  hot 
flagstones  in  the  streets.  Forked  lightning  rent  the 
clouds,  and  thunder  caused  the  very  foundations  of  the 
city  to  tremble. 

Since  Marcius  espoused  the  New  Faith  he  had  dis- 
continued visits  to  the  Temple  of  Apollo.  But  now  he 
strongly  desired  to  meet  Alethea.  Would  she  again  ap- 
pear to  him  if  he  sought  her  in  the  same  place  ?  Her 
condemnation  must  be  lifted,  her  forgiveness  obtained, 
and  her  benediction  implored  ! 

The  roar  of  the  storm  continued  with  little  abatement. 
What  a  favorable  time  to  go  unattended  and  incognito ! 
The  desire  strengthened  into  immediate  purpose.  Dis- 
regarding the  tempest,  he  ordered  a  trusted  servitor  to 
bring  his  favorite  horse,  and  hastily  disguising  himself, 
mounted,  and  rode  rapidly  toward  the  Temple. 


A   PRIESTESS  OF  THE    TARSI  AN  TEMPLE    425 

Upon  entering  he  found  the  proanos  deserted,  and  but 
a  few  scattered  devotees  in  the  cella.  Throwing  off  his 
outside  garment,  he  seated  himself  for  a  little  time  to 
command  his  thoughts  before  penetrating  into  the  ady- 
tum. The  perpetual  sacred  fire  on  the  great  hearth  sent 
its  fitful  gleams  upon  the  symbols  and  hieroglyphs  which 
thickly  covered  the  walls  and  ceilings.  As  he  sat  and 
watched  them  they  seemed  to  fade,  dissolve,  and  reappear 
in  capricious  succession,  inspiring  a  sense  of  the  pres- 
ence of  invisible  enchantments.  The  harps  of  jfEolia, 
which  hung  in  the  openings  of  the  outer  walls,  groaned 
and  shrieked  a  chaotic  Miserere,  as  if  a  great  chorus  of 
condemned  spirits  were  disquieted  by  the  force  of  the 
angry  tempest  without. 

At  length  the  signal  was  given,  and  Marcius  passed 
through  the  valve,  and  following  for  some  distance  a 
dim,  winding,  and  descending  corridor,  at  length  entered 
the  adytum.  As  aforetime,  the  flaming  symbol  of  the 
Mysteria  Eleusinia  flashed  upon  him,  and  then  slowly 
faded  into  a  ghastly  vaporous  obscurity.  Farther  on 
faint  flashes  of  blue  light  shot  up  from  deeps  which 
seemed  bottomless. 

Marcius  silently  waited  for  a  brief  period,  hoping  that 
Alethea  would  again  appear,  but  was  disappointed. 
There  was  no  sound  save  distant  echoes  of  discordant 
voices,  now  seeming  to  be  above,  and  anon  issuing  from 
the  pit  below. 

Presently,  wearied  of  waiting,  he  called  aloud,  — 

"  Alethea !     I  would  see  Alethea !  " 

Mocking  sepulchral  reverberations  of  his  words  were 
the  only  response. 


426  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Again  pouring  out  his  request  with  a  like  result,  his 
wonted  composure  was  considerably  shaken. 

With  growing  disappointment  he  was  about  to  make 
one  louder  call  before  leaving,  when  at  his  right  hand 
an  unseen  valve  suddenly  opened,  revealing  a  narrow 
private  stairway  hitherto  unknown  to  him,  leading  from 
some  of  the  many  apartments  of  the  great  Temple  above. 
A  moment  more,  and  footsteps,  light  but  very  real,  were 
heard  coming  down. 

A  female  form  of  enchanting  beauty  gracefully  entered, 
and  stood  before  him.  Her  eyes  of  a  deep  liquid  blue 
turned  towards  him,  her  silken,  blond  tresses  fell  art- 
lessly backward,  and  her  features  were  of  such  loveliness 
as  rarely  comes  in  human  mould.  A  white,  flowing  robe 
of  exquisite  softness  and  gauzelike  lightness  enveloped 
her  form,  leaving  her  shapely  neck  and  shoulders  fully 
exposed.  A  delicate  fragrance  of  wild  rose  was  borne  in 
upon  the  atmosphere  with  her.  There  she  stood,  slender, 
lithe,  symmetrical,  radiant. 

Marcius  was  startled. 

She  was  neither  Alethea,  nor  any  other  spirit. 

"Who  art  thou?  and  why  didst  thou  appear  when  I 
called  for  another?  " 

"This  is  the  night  for  mortals,  and  not  for  spirits!" 
she  replied  sweetly.  "I  am  one  of  the  priestesses  of 
the  Temple,  and  they  call  me  the  '  Chosen  One.' " 

"What  is  thy  mission  here?  " 

"  Behold  thou  didst  vainly  call  for  some  one,  and  I 
have  come  to  charm  away  thy  disappointment,  give  thee 
solace,  and  keep  thee  company." 

She  smiled. 


A   PRIESTESS  OF  THE    TARSI  AN   TEMPLE     427 

Marcius  retreated  for  a  step,  but  his  gaze  was  fastened 
upon  her. 

"  Peradventure  thou  dost  count  me  for  a  shade  who 
hath  momentarily  put  on  the  form !  "  she  said  archly. 
"  But  no !  I  am  very  real  flesh  and  blood  !  " 

Then  she  lightly  touched  her  hand  to  one  of  his  own 
convincingly. 

"  I  am  well  persuaded  that  thou  hast  never  crossed  the 
Styx;  but  I  came  hither  especially  to  see  another,  who 
dwelleth  beyond." 

"The  signs  to-night  forbid!  "  she  replied  with  an  in- 
telligence that  seemed  to  be  official.  "  Four  nights  of 
each  week  the  mystical  curtain  which  veils  the  Unseen 
is  parted,  but  this  is  not  one  of  them." 

"I  will  come  again,"  Marcius  replied  in  a  low  voice, 
beginning  to  turn  away. 

"Hasten  not!  Perchance  thy  discomfiture  and  loneli- 
ness may  be  soothed.  Doth  not  the  dominion  of  Eros 
cover  the  earth  as  well  as  the  realm  of  spirit?  Nay, 
doth  not  the  universe  bow  to  his  mastery?  Even  the 
stars  of  heaven  woo  each  other  by  their  attractiveness, 
and  flash  forth  their  kisses  in  beams  of  light,  and  the 
cohesion  of  atoms  is  but  the  warm  embrace  of  an  uni- 
versal enchantment!  " 

"  I  cannot  listen  to  thee  !  " 

"But  thou  art  listening  !  Surely  thou  dost  not  despise 
the  worship  of  the  Temple  and  her  gods,  else  thou  art 
not  a  loyal  Tarsian  !  None  are  dead  to  love,  and  both 
great  and  small  do  her  honor  !  " 

"  I  close  my  ears  to  thy  beguilement !  " 

"I  would    not   beguile    thee,  but  thou  art   heartless, 


428  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  withal  cold  in  thy  devotion  to  our  sacred  divini- 
ties ! " 

"  Thy  words  are  wasted,  and  touch  me  not !  " 

She  came  nearer,  placing  her  hand  upon  her  heart,  and 
looking  into  his  eyes,  said,  — 

"  Behold  the  roar  of  the  storm  without,  while  the 
blissful  shrine  in  my  sanctuary  above,  where  I  alone 
reign  as  priestess,  invites  a  united  homage!" 

"  I  bid  thee  farewell,  and  will  brave  the  storm ! " 

The  beautiful  features  of  the  priestess  suddenly  froze 
into  an  expression  of  scorn  and  contempt,  as  she  swept 
quickly  out  of  sight,  and  the  valve  slammed  behind  her. 

Turning  again  to  depart,  Marcius  had  advanced  but  a 
step  when  strains  of  heavenly  music  floated  in  from  the 
farther  end  of  the  cavern.  He  lingered  entranced,  while 
the  harmony  swelled  and  diminished  with  an  unearthly 
sweetness  which  bound  him  to  the  spot. 

Anon  a  great  volume  of  dense  vapor  poured  up  from 
below,  lifting  itself  by  a  graceful  spiral  motion,  and 
gaining  steadily  in  density  ! 

Was  Alethea  yet  to  appear? 

No! 

Yes! 

See! 

It  gathers  itself  into  a  defined  form  !  It  emerges  from 
its  soft  background  and  comes  forward  ! 

"  Alethea  !  " 

Her  bosom  heaves  with  seeming  life,  and  her  eyes 
glisten  with  emotion. 

"O  Alethea!  I  have  come  this  time  to  implore  thy 
forgiveness  and  seek  thy  blessing  !  " 


A   PRIESTESS   OF  THE    TARSIAN  TEMPLE    429 

"  Marcius  !  I  have  beheld  thy  new  life  from  the  free 
domain  of  the  Unseen,  and  also  stood  by  thy  side  this 
night!  Here  jealousy  hath  no  place!  Thy  past  is 
freely  forgiven,  and  my  blessing,  and  that  of  Heaven, 
will  rest  upon  thee  —  and  Rebecca.  Until  the  earth-life 
is  closed  —  farewell ! " 

The  form  slowly  dissolved,  and  Marcius  left  the 
Temple,  and  passed  out  into  the  storm. 


430  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER    XXXIV 

ONCE    MORE    UPON    THE    CYDNUS 

"  Rivers  are  highways  that  move  on,  and  bear  us  whither  we  wish 
to  go." 

A  FEW  days  after  the  evening  excursion  of  Marcius  to 
the  Temple,  a  little  party  emerged  from  the  house  of 
Benoni  into  the  spacious  grounds  which  overlooked  the 
Cydnus.  It  was  soon  after  mid-day.  Though  the  sun 
shone  brightly,  a  refreshing  breeze  down  the  valley  from 
the  Taurus  mountains  made  the  afternoon  balmy  and 
delightful.  The  cool  waters  of  the  river  hurried  quietly 
past,  while  the  sunshine  caused  the  ripple  which  danced 
upon  its  surface  to  gleam  like  molten  gold. 

The  river  barge  of  Marcius,  called  the  Felicia,  well 
manned  by  stalwart  oarsmen,  waiting  at  Benoni's  landing 
by  the  foot  of  the  terraces,  presaged  an  excursion.  The 
group  lingered  a  little,  and  loitered  through  the  grounds 
to  enjoy  the  clusters  of  spice-trees,  roses,  oleanders,  and 
jasmine  which  bordered  the  winding  paths  that  sloped 
to  the  water's  edge. 

Looking  up  the  river,  the  thick  fringes  of  shrubs  and 
trees  which  lined  its  banks  could  be  followed  by  the  eye, 
capriciously  zigzag  in  their  course,  narrowing  in  the  dim 
distance  almost  to  a  thread  when  traced  toward  the  moun- 
tain wall  of  the  northern  horizon.  The  distant  lofty 


ONCE   MORE    UPON   THE    CYDNUS  431 

range  stood  out  in  calm,  serene  beauty,  its  summits  sof- 
tened by  light  scattered  foliage,  and  kissed  by  the  rays 
of  the  afternoon  sun. 

The  band  of  the  New  Faith  in  Tarsus  had  added  many 
to  its  numbers  through  the  labors  of  Serenus.  Seconded 
by  Amabel,  and  aided  by  Benoni,  Rebecca,  and  Marcius, 
he  was  untiring  in  his  work  to  kindle  the  higher  life  in 
the  souls  who  were  willing  to  listen,  and  the  synagogue 
soon  became  divided  between  those  who  were  bound  by 
dead  forms,  and  the  converts  to  a  living  spirituality. 
Works  of  mercy,  ministry,  and  healing  abounded,  and 
faith,  love,  and  service  were  multiplied.  Such  a  joy 
lighted  up  the  faces  of  the  disciples  that  they  became 
familiarly  known  among  the  Tarsians  as  the  "happy 
brotherhood."  Although  the  Pharisaic  members  of  the 
synagogue  were  censorious  toward  them,  they  suffered  no 
persecution. 

An  excursion  up  the  river  had  been  planned  by  Mar- 
cius, both  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  charming  scenery, 
and  the  opportunity  for  delightful  communion  and  inter- 
course which  come  from  the  society  of  kindred  souls 
possessing  a  common  interest  and  aim. 

Besides  the  family  of  Benoni,  and  Serenus  and  Amabel, 
Marcius  had  invited  several  other  friends  to  join  the 
company,  and  they  gathered  at  Benoni's  house  at  the 
appointed  hour  in  readiness  for  the  start.  After  a  ram- 
ble in  the  garden,  they  passed  down  to  the  landing  to 
embark.  Some  were  already  on  the  barge,  when  sud- 
denly the  sound  of  rapid  footsteps  was  heard,  and  a 
young  man  appeared,  hastening  to  reach  them  before 
their  departure. 


432  VICTOR  SERENUS 

It  was  Saulus! 

His  father,  mother,  and  Rebecca  were  the  last  of  the 
party,  and  not  yet  on  board. 

Each  was  successively  wrapped  in  his  loving  embrace, 
and  tears  of  joy  witnessed  the  warmth  of  their  reunion. 

"  O  Saulus,  thou  must  go  with  us  on  the  excursion !  " 
said  Rebecca,  as  soon  as  the  first  greetings  were  over. 
"Serenus  and  Amabel,  also  Marcius,  of  whom  I  have 
written  thee,  are  already  on  the  barge ! " 

"  Serenus  on  board  !    I  will  go  !    I  long  to  greet  him  ! " 

Soon  all  were  upon  the  deck  of  the  Felicia,  and  at  a 
given  signal  the  twenty  oars  on  each  side  took  the  water 
as  if  by  one  impulse,  and  the  graceful  barge  glided  out 
upon  the  bosom  of  the  Cydnus. 

Rebecca  presented  Saulus  to  Marcius,  who  received 
him  warmly,  and  then  they  sought  Serenus  and  Amabel. 

Saulus  and  Serenus  were  soon  clasped  in  each  other's 
arms. 

"  O  Serenus  !  my  friend,  brother,  and  saviour  !  Words 
fail  me  !  To  thee,  whom  I  once  counted  as  my  enemy, 
I  owe  my  life  and  my  salvation.  Blessed  be  these  eyes 
that  behold  thee,  and  these  ears  that  hear  thy  voice  !  " 

"  And  thou,  Amabel  !  who  by  my  command  wast  taken 
to  the  cruel  prison !  Sister  of  the  New  Faith !  I  need 
not  even  ask  thy  forgiveness,  for  I  am  persuaded  that 
thou  hast  bestowed  it  long  ago.  What  a  joy  to  forgive 
and  be  forgiven  !  Rebecca  hath  written  the  good  tidings 
to  me." 

The  Felicia  was  headed  up  stream,  but  despite  the 
strong  current  she  shot  rapidly  along.  The  roofs  and 
towers  of  the  city  gradually  receded,  and  pastoral  voices 


ONCE  MORE   UPON  THE   CYDNUS  433 

and  charms  grew  more  distinct  and  prevailing.  Deli- 
cious exhalations  were  wafted  out  from  the  leaves  and 
blossoms  of  spicy  shrubs  on  either  hand,  and  their  grace- 
ful forms  were  duplicated  in  trembling,  shadows  in  the 
clear  water  beneath.  Nature  furnished  a  perfect  envi- 
ronment of  peace  and  beauty,  inspiring  in  the  souls  of 
all  a  revery  of  silent  homage  to  the  Word  which  she 
articulated  and  out-pictured. 

Serenus  and  Saulus  sat  down  side  by  side,  and  all 
visions  of  the  troubled  past  melted  away  in  their  present 
friendliness  and  rejoicing.  Saulus  rehearsed  to  the 
group  which  gathered  about  him  a  full  narrative  of  his 
thrilling  experiences  in  Damascus,  his  life  and  retire- 
ment in  the  Desert,  and  his  trials  in  Jerusalem. 

Though  an  intensity  of  brotherly  love,  like  that  of 
"David  and  Jonathan,"  immediately  sprung  up  between 
Serenus  and  Saulus,  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  they 
were  alike,  or  thought  alike.  It  is  often  assumed  that 
those  who  differ  in  natural  endowment  and  personal 
opinion  must  in  some  measure  be  separated  in  sym- 
pathy and  interest.  Not  so.  The  zealous  impetuosity 
of  Saulus  was  in  strong  contrast  with  the  serenity  and 
evenness  of  his  friend.  They  were  utterly  dissimilar  in 
looks,  temperament,  and  manner  of  thinking.  One 
might  be  compared  to  a  dashing,  foaming  cataract,  the 
other  to  a  still,  deep  river.  But  their  very  unlikeness 
stimulated  their  affection. 

Every  unit  is  composed  of  unlike  elements,  and  every 
truth  has  its  widely  varying  aspects.  It  might  therefore 
be  expected  that  in  their  efforts  to  spread  the  New  Faith, 
the  methods  of  these  two  leaders  would  be  unlike. 


434  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Still  more,  the  emphasis  which  each  would  place  upon 
all  but  the  most  vital  and  central  principles  would  be 
greatly  variant. 

"  Hath  any  persecution  been  meted  out  to  the  disciples 
of  the  New  Faith  in  Tarsus  ? "  inquired  Saulus. 

"  Nay ;  we  have  not  been  molested.  The  Tarsians  have 
little  concern  either  for  or  against  our  religion,  and  our 
brethren  of  the  synagogue,  while  counting  us  as  heretics 
and  manifesting  some  bitterness  of  spirit,  have  done  us 
no  harm." 

"How  unlike  Damascus  and  Jerusalem!  Behold  in 
those  cities  all  our  exhortations  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  filled  the  multitudes  with  jealousy,  which 
brought  forth  persecution  and  even  scourging." 

"The  minds  and  hearts  of  men  are  not  speedily 
changed,"  replied  Serenus.  "  Dost  thou  think  it  strange, 
O  my  brother !  that  those  men  are  moved  by  the  same 
reasoning  that,  in  time  gone  by,  moved  thee  to  persecute, 
thinking  that  thereby  thou  wert  doing  God  service?  It 
is  no  easy  thing  to  give  righteous  judgment  concerning 
the  actions  of  men,  unless  peradventure  we  have  regard 
unto  their  ignorance,  and  all  their  past  manner  of  think- 
ing." 

"Thou  sayest  truly  that  I  ought  not  to  think  it 
strange  that  others  of  the  Circumcision  persecute,  even 
as  I  did,  being  of  like  mind;  but  I  pray  thee,  how  is  the 
gospel  of  the  New  Faith  to  be  established  unless  it  be 
boldly  proclaimed,  whether  men  hear  or  forbear?" 

"  I  am  minded  with  thee,  O  Saulus !  that  the  procla- 
mation of  Truth  be  fearlessly  put  forth,  but  it  must  be 
with  forbearance  and  in  love.  Behold  the  still,  small 


ONCE  MORE    UPON  THE   CYDNUS  435 

voice  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth  findeth  a  hearing  in  the 
affections  of  men  whose  ears  are  closed  to  argument  and 
controversy.  If  the  seed  be  cast  gently  into  ground  that 
is  well  prepared  by  the  mellowing  of  love,  and  watered 
by  the  ministry  of  reconciliation,  it  will  spring  up,  and 
in  due  season  the  blade  will  appear,  and  finally  the  full 
corn  in  the  ear." 

"Thou  speakest  wisely,  O  Serenus!  for  only  thy  win- 
ning and  unresistant  spirit  awakened  a  response  in  my 
own  heart,  that  in  due  time  overcame  me,  and  turned  my 
feet  from  the  path  of  error  and  destruction.  I  am  also 
minded  that  thy  works  in  Tarsus  are  far  more  abundant 
than  my  vehement  logic  could  have  established  had  I 
been  in  thy  place.  Lo,  from  thy  youth  up  thou  hadst  a 
gentleness  of  spirit,  which  I,  even  since  my  change  of 
heart,  greatly  lack." 

Serenus  turned  lovingly  toward  Saulus,  and  taking 
him  by  the  hand,  replied,  — 

"  I  beseech  thee,  my  brother,  have  in  mind  the  abun- 
dant power  which  thou  hast,  and  not  the  thing  which 
perchance  thou  lackest.  It  is  well  that  we  have  differ- 
ing talents  and  gifts.  Thou  canst  not  perform  my  work, 
nor  I  thine,  but  there  is  a  harvest  ripening  for  each  of  us. 
In  the  earthly  vineyard  of  God  the  shoulders  of  every 
laborer  are  justly  fitted  to  the  burden  which  is  appointed 
for  him  to  bear.  But  of  a  verity  there  are  no  burdens, 
for  they  are  changed  to  privileges." 

"Thy  words  reconcile  me  to  my  chosen  work,  and  even 
to  my  inner  hindrances.  I  perceive  that  through  spiritual 
exercise  even  our  shortcomings  minister  to  advancement 
in  the  higher  life." 


436  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Tarsus  had  faded  from  view,  and  save  the  rhythmic 
plash  of  the  oars  no  sound  was  audible  but  the  hum  of 
quiet  converse  among  the  scattered  groups  upon  the  deck 
of  the  Felicia. 

After  listening  with  interest  to  the  conversation  be- 
tween Serenus  and  Saulus,  Marcius  invited  Rebecca's 
attention  to  the  grandeur  of  the  mountains  now  nearing 
as  they  ascended  the  river,  and  soon  the  twain  leisurely 
seated  themselves  in  a  retired  nook  near  the  bow  of  the 
boat. 

The  charm  of  the  crystal  Cydnus  burnished  by  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  its  fringed  and  swiftly  passing  banks, 
and  the  reposefulness  of  the  broad,  outlying  landscape, 
combined  to  make  the  whole  scene  masterful. 

"  How  beautiful  the  world  is  !  "  said  Rebecca. 

"Yea,"  said  Marcius.  "Under  the  inspiration  of  the 
New  Faith  the  mountains  are  temples,  and  the  rocks 
and  trees  sacred  altars  which  enshrine  the  divine  beauty 
and  radiance." 

"A  beautiful  metaphor!  I  feel  that  Nature  is  soul- 
ful and  companionable.  The  cold,  mechanical  forms  of 
institutions,  and  the  hollow  ceremonies  in  temples  made 
with  hands,  harden  the  mind  and  fetter  its  freedom.  As 
our  souls  are  illumined,  Nature  becomes  a  Revelation 
—  a  spoken  Word  —  transparent  to  the  Divine  Spirit 
which  shines  through  it." 

Marcius  was  charmed  by  Rebecca's  poetic  consecra- 
tion, and  added,  — 

"Yea;  Serenus  teacheth  even  a  threefold  Revelation: 
that  which  shineth  through  the  veil  of  the  outer  world; 
that  manifested  through  men  —  sons  of  God — of  whom 


ONCE  MORE    UPON  THE   CYDNUS  437 

Jesus  was  the  perfected  measure ;  and  that  by  the  ever- 
present  Spirit,  which  is  the  Companion  and  Teacher." 

"How  clearly  the  eyes  of  Serenus  are  open  to  the 
light  and  truth  of  the  world!" 

"  It  is  a  marvel ! "  said  Marcius  with  earnestness. 
"  Blessed  be  the  hour  when  first  I  beheld  him !  Behold 
how  great  good  cometh  out  of  evil !  The  sinking  of  the 
Salapiae  hath  yielded  a  great  blessing  to  Tarsus." 

"  My  life  in  the  Holy  City  and  since  hath  persuaded 
me  that  infinite  forces  work  with  us  when  we  work 
through  them, "  said  Rebecca  with  enthusiasm.  "  Noth- 
ing is  trifling,  and  nothing  unimportant." 

Marcius  felt  that  the  moment  had  arrived  toward 
which  he  had  so  long  looked  forward  as  the  most  event- 
ful of  his  life. 

"  O  Rebecca  !  "  said  he  in  a  low,  tender  tone,  as  his 
eyes  glanced  upon  her  fair  face,  "  I  am  minded  of  an- 
other great  blessing  to  me  which  hath  grown  out  of 
evil!" 

The  living  emphasis  of  the  soft,  earnest  words  seemed 
peculiar,  and  Rebecca  looked  up  inquiringly,  as  if  to 
divine  their  interpretation. 

"  Behold  the  day  of  the  tumult,  when  thou  wert  hard 
pressed  by  the  rabble !  What  a  wicked  offence,  and  yet 
from  it  hath  come  to  me  a  revelation  of  thy  beautiful 
soul." 

Rebecca  was  startled,  for  there  was  an  intensity  be- 
hind the  words  which  swept  her  spirit  into  unwonted 
vibration. 

"  O  Rebecca !  I  would  more  fully  unveil  my  heart  to 
thee  1  Blessed  be  the  day  when  for  the  first  time  I  be- 


438  VICTOR  SERENUS 

held  thy  sweet  face,  and  thrice  blessed  the  time  in  which 
I  have  felt  thy  goodness  and  purity!  I  love  thee !  Thy 
father  hath  graciously  yielded  me  permission  to  make  my 
love  known  to  thee.  Oh,  wilt  thou  not  be  the  soul  of  my 
soul  ?  The  New  Faith  will  consecrate  our  love,  and 
make  us  one  in  the  bonds  of  a  union  that  shall  be  un- 
ending. Should  there  be  no  certain  response  in  thy 
heart  at  this  hour,  I  will  not  press  thee  for  an  answer 
now.  But  thou  art  the  pure  shrine  at  which  my  devotion 
will  glow  with  an  unending  ardor  !  " 

While  the  calm  dignity  of  Rebecca  did  not  forsake  her 
the  beautiful  cheeks  took  on  a  ruddier  shade,  and  her 
large,  radiant  eyes  were  downcast  and  bedewed. 

Then,  looking  steadily  into  his  manly  face,  she  replied 
softly,  — 

"Hast  thou  thought  carefully  of  this?  Thou  art  the 
Roman  Vice  Legate  of  Tarsus,  and  \  but  an  humble 
maid  of  the  Hebrews  !  *' 

"  Rebecca,  I  have  pondered  it  day  and  night  1  Never 
in  my  earlier  days  did  I  know  there  could  be  such  love ! 
But  I  feel  myself  to  be  another  man  —  a.  new  man  —  or 
I  would  be  unspeakably  unworthy  of  thee.  I  am  yet  un- 
worthy, but  I  offer  thee  the  homage  of  a  heart,  purified 
I  trust,  by  the  higher  life,  and  softened  by  the  effulgence 
of  thine  own  goodness." 

There  was  a  long  silence,  made  more  intense  by  the 
rapid  beating  of  two  hearts. 

A  smile  upon  her  lips,  and  the  dropping  of  a  tear 
which  would  not  stay  back,  gave  him  hope. 

Unspeakable  repose  filled  their  souls. 


PART     THIRD 


AFTER  THE  FLIGHT  OF  TWENTY  YEARS 


CHAPTER   XXXV 

THE   BAY    OF    PUTEOLI 

"  The  massive  gates  of  Circumstance, 

Are  turned  upon  the  smallest  hinge, 
And  thus  some  seeming  petty  chance 
Oft  gives  our  life  an  after  tinge." 

ONE  beautiful  spring  morning,  A.D.  61,  an  Alexan- 
drian ship,  flying  the  sign  of  Castor  and  Pollux,  entered 
the  Bay  of  Puteoli  laden  with  corn -for  the  granaries  of 
Rome.  The  mirror-like  surface  of  the  water  brilliantly 
reflected  the  rays  of  the  early  sun,  and  duplicated  the 
palaces,  gardens,  and  palm-trees  which  lined  the  banks. 
The  dark-green,  vine-clad  slopes  of  Vesuvius,  yet  a  slum- 
bering giant,  towered  up  from  the  eastward  above  the 
peaceful  towns  of  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii,  distin- 
guished for  their  brilliant  color,  Greek-like  gayety,  and 
beautiful  situation.  It  was  one  of  the  loveliest  of  earthly 
scenes. 

The  luxurious  villas  and  magnificent  palaces  of  Roman 
nobles  which  dotted  the  shores,  and  the  romantic  islets 
that  lifted  themselves  out  of  the  blue  sea  to  the  west 
and  southwestward,  with  the  flowering  shrubs  which 
pushed  their  color  and  fragrance  to  the  water's  edge,  all 
contributed  features  to  form  an  unequalled  earthly  para- 
dise. Near  by  were  Baiae,  Pandataria,  Cumae,  Pausi- 

441 


442  VICTOR  SERENUS 

lypus,  and  Capreae,  each  richly  endowed  with  thrilling 
classical  events  and  romantic  associations  of  great  in- 
terest in  the  world's  history.  The  end  of  the  voyage 
was  at  hand,  and  the  passengers  gathered  upon  deck  to 
enjoy  the  complex  panorama  which  many  of  them  viewed 
for  the  first  time.  They  represented  many  different  races, 
tribes  and  tongues,  and  appeared  in  a  picturesque  variety 
of  costumes. 

Prominent  among  them  was  a  Roman  officer,  having  in 
charge  a  prisoner  who  was  on  his  way  to  Rome  for  a 
trial  in  the  imperial  court. 

The  officer,  Julius,  who  wore  the  insignia  of  a  centu- 
rion, had  an  intelligent  and  kindly  face,  and  showed 
much  respect  unto  his  prisoner,  who  was  a  man  well 
along  in  years,  and  of  marked  individuality. 

It  was  Saulus  on  his  journey  to  the  Eternal  City  upon 
an  appeal  for  justice.  He  was  accompanied  by  Luke 
and  Aristarchus,  though  they  were  not  prisoners.  He 
stood  upon  the  forward  deck,  engaged  in  converse  with 
the  centurion. 

"  If  official  duty  will  enable  thee  to  use  thy  discretion, 
O  Julius,  I  would  make  an  earnest  request  for  thy  favor ! " 

"Make  it  known  unto  me,  and  if  expedient  I  will  be 
pleased  to  grant  thy  petition." 

"Behold  yonder  house  where  the  gardens  reach  the 
water's  edge  !  It  is  but  little  more  than  a  stadium  from 
the  landing,  and  is  the  home  of  Marcius,  a  Roman,  and 
his  wife,  who  is  my  sister.  I  fain  would  tarry  there  for  a 
few  days  before  setting  out  for  Rome." 

"  How  knowest  thou  that  it  is  the  house  of  Marcius, 
never  having  sojourned  here  aforetime? " 


THE  BAY  OF  PUTEOLI  443 

"  I  am  fully  persuaded  of  it  through  letters  which  came 
to  me  giving  a  full  description." 

"I  have  power  to  grant  thy  request,  and  it  shall  be 
as  thou  dost  desire." 

When  all  had  landed,  Julius  found  upon  inquiry  that 
the  house  which  had  been  pointed  out  was  as  had  been 
represented,  and  with  a  soldier  for  a  guard,  Saulus 
and  his  friends  were  permitted  to  make  the  desired 
visit. 

The  home  of  Marcius  occupied  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful sites  upon  the  shores  of  the  heavenly  bay.  The 
water,  transparent  in  its  blueness,  embraced  by  a  lovely 
sky  and  an  emerald  shore,  was  so  serene  that  it  seemed 
to  be  reposing  in  a  dream  of  bliss.  The  air  was  heavy 
with  the  odors  of  flowering  plants  and  shrubs,  and  a 
subtle  and  fascinating  spell  was  wont  to  steal  over  the 
senses  of  the  observer.  Nature  was  the  Charmer. 

The  dark,  tangled  crags  to  the  southwest  seemed  like 
lazy  yet  faithful  sentinels  who  were  watching  lest  the 
prodigal  enchantment  might  escape,  or  that  its  volup- 
tuousness might  tempt  the  sea  to  swallow  it  up.  What 
a  fairy-land  to  stir  the  fancies  of  the  heart,  and  light 
a  smile  of  rapture  upon  the  face  of  him  whose  soul  is 
attuned  to  a  beauty  that  is  not  only  upon  the  surface, 
but  within ! 

The  three  friends,  who  were  entirely  unlocked  for, 
received  a  most  cordial  welcome  from  Marcius  and  Re- 
becca, and  their  home  was  a  veritable  haven  of  rest  after 
a  long  and  troublesome  voyage.  Many  years  had  passed 
since  Saulus  and  Rebecca  last  met,  but  the  ardor  of 
their  early  affection,  if  possible,  seemed  yet  increased. 


444  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Saulus  for  the  first  time  saw  his  niece  Helena,  the 
daughter  of  Marcius  and  Rebecca,  who  was  now  in  the 
bloom  of  her  youthful  beauty. 

After  a  day  of  hospitable  entertainment  and  inter- 
course in  the  unity  and  spirit  of  the  New  Faith,  the  little 
group,  as  the  sun  declined,  was  seated  upon  the  front 
porch  which  overlooked  the  lovely  expanse  of  the  waters 
of  Puteoli.  The  air  was  delicious,  and  a  purple  haze 
enveloped  the  surrounding  slopes  and  heights,  soften- 
ing their  outlines,  and  forming  a  mystical  and  idealis- 
tic setting  for  the  splendid  summer-houses  which  dotted 
the  shore  and  highlands  far  and  near.  Upon  the  bay, 
which  reflected  upon  its  bosom  the  splendor  of  the  clos- 
ing day,  here  and  there  might  be  seen  the  sail  of  some 
belated  fisherman  or  pleasure  boat,  almost  becalmed, 
or  perchance  lazily  rowing  toward  the  port. 

Saulus,  after  gazing  meditatively  upon  the  scene  for 
a  little  time,  broke  the  silence. 

"In  all  my  journeyings  I  have  beheld  no  scene  so 
glorious !  " 

"Yea,"  said  Marcius,  "we  count  it  as  heavenly  as 
any  place  on  earth  well  can  be.  Nearly  a  score  of  years 
have  taken  their  flight  since  we  came  here  from  the 
banks  of  the  Cydnus,  and  yet  whenever  I  return  from 
my  journeys  in  other  climes  it  always  gives  me  fresh 
delight." 

"Tell  me  somewhat  of  thy  journeys,  and  of  thy  suc- 
cess in  spreading  the  New  Faith,"  said  Saulus. 

"Behold  I  have  little  to  make  mention  of  in  com- 
parison with  the  great  work  which  thou  hast  accom- 
plished! Not  being  a  public  teacher  and  preacher,  my 


THE  BAY  OF  PUTEOLI  445 

efforts  have  had  little  observation,  yet  after  my  own 
manner  I  feel  that  my  work  hath  not  been  in  vain." 

"I  am  minded  that  thou  hast  devoted  most  of  thy 
wealth  to  the  spread  of  the  new  gospel,"  said  Saulus, 
"  and  assuredly  in  that  direction  thou  hast  done  most 
effectual  service.  I  would  that  thou  briefly  recount  to 
my  brethren,  Luke  and  Aristarchus,  somewhat  of  thy 
sacrifices  and  labors  for  their  encouragement." 

"My  sacrifices  have  been  light  compared  with  those 
which  each  of  you  has  made,  yet  I  have  tried  to  be 
faithful.  To  this  day  no  persecution  hath  been  meted 
out  to  me,  but  I  yet  may  feel  the  displeasure  of  Nero. 
No  one  can  tell.  Claudius  was  content  with  my  simple 
deposition  from  office  in  Tarsus,  and  since  that  day  I 
have  lived  undisturbed  as  a  Roman  private  citizen." 

But  Saulus  desired  to  hear  further. 

"  I  have  learned  through  letters  from  the  hand  of  Re- 
becca that  thou  hast  sent  trusted  disciples  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  and  that  thine  own  journeyings  have  reached 
to  Britain,  Spain,  and  Africa." 

"  It  hath  been  my  privilege  to  send  a  few  laborers  into 
the  vineyard,  and  furnish  them  with  the  means  of  support. 
In  my  visits  to  these  lands  I  have  seen  somewhat  of  the 
fruits  of  their  labors,  and  letters  lately  received  give  me 
hope  of  their  growing  success." 

"  Behold  there  is  a  diversity  of  gifts  and  members  in 
the  new  kingdom!"  said  Luke;  "and  I  perceive  that 
thou,  O  Marcius !  hast  done  a  great  work  that  hath  not 
been  chronicled  by  the  churches  or  known  to  the  saints 
at  Jerusalem.  The  world  is  a  great  field,  and  there  are 
divers  ways  of  scattering  the  good  seed  of  the  Word." 


VICTOR  SERENUS 

.e  thou  art  with  us,  O  brother  Saulus !  I  would 
that  tnou  interpret  more  fully  the  life  and  doctrine  of  the 
great  Prophet  of  Nazareth  !  "  said  Marcius.  "  The  disci- 
ples with  whom  I  have  had  converse  appear  to  think 
differently,  in  some  degree,  concerning  the  best  way  of 
salvation  and  the  true  ideal  of  the  New  Faith." 

"Wherein  lieth  the  difference?" 

"Some  seem  to  teach  that  the  new  life  is  likeness  in 
mind  and  spirit  to  Jesus,  or  an  incarnation  of  the  inner 
Christly  quality,  while  others  hold  that  it  is  a  purchase 
which  was  made  by  his  sufferings  and  death.  They  say 
that  his  blood,  though  greater  than  other  Jewish  sacri- 
fices, in  the  same  manner  cleanseth  from  transgression 
and  bestoweth  pardon." 

"  I  have  observed  that  some  such  differences  are  be- 
ginning to  appear  among  believers,  but  am  fully  per- 
suaded that  the  Spirit  will  not  be  swallowed  up  by  the 
letter.  A  knowledge  of  Jesus,  the  Christ,  after  the  flesh, 
profiteth  nothing.  If  I  have  known  him  after  the  flesh,  I 
would  know  him  no  more." 

"What  is  the  significance  of  the  shedding  of  blood?  " 

"Blood  signifieth  the  inner  quality  or  life,  and  not  the 
suffering  and  death.  Behold  the  literal  blood  availeth 
naught !  Jesus  was  only  the  outward  manifestation  of 
the  Christ,  because  the  Saviour  of  men  is  not  flesh,  but 
spirit." 

"What  doth  belief  in  the  name  of  Christ  signify?  " 

"  It  is  that  Christ,  or  the  mind  of  Christ,  liveth  in  us 
as  it  lived  in  Jesus,  though  not  so  fully  manifested. 
Faith  in  Christ  is  not  mere  belief  in  the  death  and  res- 
urrection of  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth,  but  it  is  the  sub- 


THE  BAY  OF  PUTEOLI       .  447 

stance  of  spiritual  life  in  man.  Jesus  belonged  to  a 
particular  time  and  place,  while  the  Christ  is  the  divine 
son  in  all  men,  even  though  not  yet  born  into  activity. 
It  is  God  in  the  soul  of  man ! " 

"  A  saving  truth !  and  how  near,  for  it  is  an  experience 
of  the  heart,"  said  Rebecca. 

"Yea;  the  Christ  is  in  every  man,  and  not  far  away  in 
time  or  distance.  He  is  the  name  of  divine  oneness  in 
the  children  of  men,  whether  in  the  seed,  the  blade,  or 
the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  Ordinances  and  sacraments  are 
without,  but  Christ,  the  Truth,  is  within.  A  fleshly  and 
sacrificial  belief  manifesteth  itself  in  form  and  ceremony, 
and  bringeth  forth  a  harvest  of  dead  works  which  killeth 
the  spirit." 

"  I  feel  the  truth  of  what  thou  sayest,  for  it  is  easy  of 
comprehension  !  "  said  Marcius  with  earnestness. 

"Yea;  no  man  need  err  therein.  Christ  is  not  a  dead 
Christ,  but  the  living,  ever-present  son  or  image  waiting 
for  birth  and  articulation  in  every  human  soul.  Behold 
the  whole  creation  groaneth  together  in  bringing  forth 
the  sons  of  God!" 

"  Didst  thou  not  in  thine  early  teaching  dwell  much 
upon  the  seen  Jesus  and  his  sacrificial  death? " 

"Yea,  thou  judgest  rightly;  but  now  I  see  more  plainly 
that  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.  I  have  learned 
that  the  worship  of  the  Father  pertaineth  not  to  time, 
place,  nor  race,  but  must  be  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  Be- 
hold all  men,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  bond  or  free, 
are  blindly  feeling  after  God,  but  through  ignorance  they 
make  many  vain  searches!  But  full  contentment  can 


448  VICTOR  SERENUS 

never  come  to  any  soul  until  it  knoweth  the  Father  and 
his  kingdom  within." 

"Of  the  reputed  sayings  of  the  Nazarene,  some  ap- 
pear to  come  from  a  son  of  man,  and  others  from  a  son 
of  God.  Canst  thou  make  that  plain  to  us?" 

"Man  hath  within  him  both  the  human  and  divine 
nature,  and  Jesus  being  fully  manifested  in  the  God-con- 
sciousness, and  recognizing  his  oneness  with  the  Father, 
at  divers  times  spoke  as  God  in  the  flesh,  and  also  upon 
other  occasions  as  a  son  of  man.  Behold  God,  though 
not  flesh,  dwelleth  in  all  flesh,  but  man  knoweth  it  not, 
and  thinketh  of  him  as  far  away." 

Early  the  next  morning  Serenus  and  Amabel  also 
arrived  at  the  house  of  Marcius.  They  came  for  a  brief 
sojourn  before  taking  ship  for  Alexandria,  now  their 
home,  being  on  their  return  from  a  short  visit  to  Rome. 


NOCTURNAL  INTERVIEW  WITH  A   SEER     449 


CHAPTER   XXXVI 

NOCTURNAL    INTERVIEW   WITH  A    SEER 

"  I  sent  my  soul  through  the  invisible, 
Some  lessons  of  the  after  life  to  spell, 
By  and  by  it  came  and  answered, 
I  myself  am  heaven  and  hell." 

JOY  reigned  in  the  house  of  Marcius.  The  unlooked- 
for  arrival  of  Serenus  and  Amabel  brought  about  a  gen- 
eral and  happy  reunion  of  friends  who  long  had  been 
widely  separated. 

The  abode  of  Serenus  was  now  in  Alexandria.  As 
the  worthy  successor  of  Philo,  he  was  the  eminent  head 
of  a  school  of  liberal  Christian  philosophy,  where  teach- 
ers and  missionaries  were  trained  and  educated.  The 
academy  was  not  devoted  to  mere  philosophical  specu- 
lation and  theorizing,  but  to  the  promulgation  of  the 
New  Faith  in  its  pristine  purity.  Both  by  precept  and 
example  Serenus  inculcated  a  practical  spiritual  life 
which  transformed  those  who  came  within  its  moulding 
influence.  The  school  became  a  living  fountain,  from 
which  went  out  the  waves  of  a  Christly  Christianity. 
Set  free,  even  in  greater  measure  than  the  Primitive 
Church,  from  Jewish  dogmatism,  the  truth  was  purged 
from  all  traditional  rubbish,  and  given  out  in  all  its  in- 
trinsic value  and  beauty.  It  was  the  simple  New  Faith, 


45O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

without  any  admixture  of  asceticism,  touched  and  gilded 
by  the  light  of  the  highest  and  best  Greek  philosophy 
and  idealism.  The  influence  upon  the  world  at  large 
of  the  Alexandrian  liberal  school  of  Christianity,  not 
being  recorded  in  canonized  history,  has  been  mostly 
unrecognized  in  ecclesiastical  annals. 

The  day  after  the  arrival  of  Serenus  and  Amabel 
passed  swiftly  in  mutual  converse  and  encouragement. 
Every  one  of  the  reunited  circle  had  much  to  recount. 
What  a  wealth  of  experiences  gained,  obstacles  over- 
come, and  inspirations  kindled! 

Late  in  the  evening  Marcius  felt  a  strange  and  un- 
wonted spirit  of  restlessness.  All  the  rest  of  the  house- 
hold had  retired  for  the  night,  when  some  intangible  but 
powerful  influence  almost  impelled  him  to  go  into  the 
open  air  for  a  season  of  meditation  and  communion  with 
the  spirit  of  Nature.  Telling  Rebecca  of  his  intention,  he 
went  out  upon  the  porch  and  took  his  favorite  seat  over- 
looking the  beautiful  bay.  The  harmony  and  sublimity 
of  the  scene  were  borne  in  upon  his  soul,  and  gave  him  a 
sense  of  profound  serenity.  The  air  was  soft  and  balmy, 
and  the  full-orbed  moon  was  lifting  herself  above  the 
horizon  in  queenly  majesty,  lighting  up  the  expanse  of 
waters  with  a  sheen  of  wavy  silver. 

The  arrival  of  Saulus,  and  yet  more  that  of  Serenus 
and  Amabel,  brought  before  the  mind  of  Marcius  a  flood 
of  former  associations  and  emotions  interwoven  with  his 
life  upon  the  banks  of  the  Cydnus.  His  inner  experi- 
ences of  the  earlier  time  passed  before  him  in  a  proces- 
sion like  the  unrolling  of  a  scenic  panorama.  His 
Christianity  was  also  free  from  a  too-prevalent  asceti- 


NOCTURNAL  INTERVIEW  WITH  A   SEER     451 

cism,  and  the  charm  of  everything  about  him  found  a 
response  and  revelation  in  his  own  soul.  As  he  pon- 
dered, while  drinking  in  the  beauty  of  the  night,  he 
measurably  divested  himself  of  the  gross  sense  of  the 
Physical,  and  wandered  back  amid  bygone  soul-experi- 
ences. He  realized  that  to  penetrate  the  unseen  realm 
of  Reality  there  must  be  earnest  desire,  unclouded  by 
the  opaque  objects  of  sense,  usually  so  all  controlling. 

He  journeyed  psychically  backward,  and  analyzed  his 
early  life,  —  its  selfishness,  grossness,  and  superficiality. 
He  thought  of  those  who  shared  it.  Where  are  they 
now  ?  What  occupies  them  ?  Have  they  yet  discerned  the 
hollowness  of  the  mad  pursuit  of  sensuous  gratification? 

What  of  Leander? 

At  that  moment  he  was  somewhat  startled  by  the  dig- 
nified approach  of  a  man  wrapped  in  a  long  mantle  who 
came  near  and  called  him  by  name.  In  a  reposeful  and 
deliberate  manner  the  stranger  leaned  against  a  pillar 
and  waited  for  a  response.  His  voice  was  musical,  his 
face  had  a  pleasant  and  impressive  aspect,  indicating 
refined  character  and  a  passionless  depth  of  thought, 
heightened  by  a  noble  forehead  and  deep-set  eyes. 

"  I  am  Marcius !    Be  seated,  and  explain  thine  errand ! " 

"I  come  as  a  messenger,  rather  than  for  myself,"  re- 
plied the  strange  visitor  in  a  cordial  and  friendly  man- 
ner. "  Thy  musing  upon  the  secrets  of  the  soul  and  the 
mysteries  of  the  Universe,  but  more  especially  thy  del- 
ving among  the  living  relics  of  the  past,  hath  awakened 
a  yearning  in  other  souls,  —  or  a  soul,  —  and  thou  only 
hast  the  power  to  satisfy  it !  " 

"Thou  speakest  in  riddles  !  how  did  it  come  to  thee, 


VICTOR  SERENUS 


or  to  those  for  whom  thou  hast  come,  that  my  thought 
was  occupied  with  the  past?  Behold  the  scene  of  my 
earlier  experiences  is  far  distant." 

"In  mind  and  spirit  there  is  no  time  nor  distance! 
The  echoes  of  thought  go  out,  and  are  interpreted  by 
those  whose  inner  hearing  is  attuned.  Not  only  the 
music  of  a  fountain,  but  even  the  hoarse  roar  of  a  tem- 
pest, is  heard  within,  and  can  be  stilled  only  from  the 
centre  !  There  is  a  disquieted  soul  that  earnestly  craves 
thine  aid.  Even  a  word  from  thee  would  help  to  relieve 
its  distresses." 

"Again  thou  speakest  beyond  my  comprehension. 
What  dost  thou  desire  me  to  do?" 

"  Go  with  me  to  a  place  not  very  far  distant  where  all 
mystery  shall  be  made  plain  to  thee  !  " 

"  Thou  hast  much  assurance  to  ask  me  to  go  with  thee, 
a  stranger,  to  a  place  unknown!  Common  prudence 
might  forbid." 

"Do  I  seem  like  one  born  to  deceive?  Only  good  can 
or  will  come  from  thy  compliance." 

"  Whom  do  we  seek,  if  I  go  with  thee  ?  " 

"  My  Superior  !  A  wise  and  noble  magician.  One 
who  hath  profound  and  prophetic  gifts  of  soul,  and  hath 
penetrated  deeply  into  the  mysteries  of  Knowledge,  as 
found  in  the  life  of  man." 

"I  will  go  with  thee!" 

The  moon  had  hidden  herself  behind  dense  masses  of 
floating  clouds  so  that  the  darkness  had  perceptibly  in- 
creased, but  Marcius  was  thoroughly  persuaded  of  the 
sincerity  of  his  guide,  and  did  not  hesitate. 

They  started.     After  traversing  several  narrow  streets 


NOCTURNAL   INTERVIEW   WITH  A   SEER      453 

and  turning  many  corners,  they  took  a  road  which  wound 
steadily  upward.  On,  on,  on  !  —  would  they  never  arrive 
at  the  journey's  end?  The  deep  obscurity  and  many 
turns  caused  Marcius  to  lose  his  bearings,  and  he  had 
little  or  no  idea  even  of  the  general  direction  which 
they  had  taken.  In  the  gradual  ascent  they  crossed  two 
streams  upon  whose  classical  banks  in  bygone  ages  had 
encamped  the  invading  hosts  of  Etruscan,  Sybarite,  and 
Roman.  The  whole  vicinity  was  rich  with  ancient  lore. 
Still  on,  until,  with  a  sharp  turn  to  the  right,  they  passed 
through  a  deep  and  narrow  fissure  which  parted  a  hill  of 
rock,  and  was  shrouded  by  abundant  foliage. 

Emerging  from  the  narrow  walled  passage,  immedi- 
ately before  them,  upon  a  level  plateau,  stood  a  vener- 
able castle.  The  light  which  streamed  through  a  few  of 
the  windows  gave  evidence  of  life  within. 

"Behold  our  journey's  end !  "  said  the  stranger. 

They  entered,  and  after  mounting  a  broad,  winding 
staircase,  Marcius  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  a 
tall,  dignified  and  venerable  man,  with  long  hair  and 
flowing  beard  of  snowy  whiteness,  who  received  him  with 
becoming  and  polite  cordiality.  He  was  wrapped  in  a 
long  white  mantle,  heavily  embroidered  in  gold  with 
mystical  and  occult  designs.  After  the  first  greetings,  he 
motioned  Marcius  to  a  convenient  seat.  The  room  was 
commodious,  and  possessed  many  remains  of  ancient 
splendor  fairly  well  preserved.  It  contained  large  tables 
of  costly  marble  elaborately  carved,  upon  which  were 
piles  of  parchment  sheets  and  rolls,  and  also  many  as- 
trological, chemical,  and  philosophical  instruments  and 
appliances. 


454  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"I  am  here  in  obedience  to  thy  request?  "  said  Mar- 
cius  inquiringly. 

The  kindly  face  of  the  Seer  lighted  up  with  a  benefi- 
cent smile,  as  he  replied,  — 

"I  give  thee  cordial  welcome,  and  am  persuaded  that 
thy  visit  will  not  be  in  vain.  I  have  knowledge  of  thy 
good  works,  and  that  thou  hast  delight  in  the  upliftment 
and  release  of  entangled  souls." 

"  I  am  in  no  wise  minded  how  my  strange  visit  hath 
any  virtue  in  such  an  accomplishment !  " 

"  Peradventure  there  be  unseen  prisoners  struggling 
for  freedom  that  thou  knowest  not  of." 

"  I  shall  rejoice  in  any  opportunity  for  spiritual  minis- 
try," said  Marcius;  "but  if  thou  art  pleased  to  communi- 
cate, may  I  first  inquire  concerning  thyself  and  thy 
profession  ?  " 

"  I  am  descended  from  the  Magi  of  the  far  East.  My 
father  was  one  of  the  wise  men  who  brought  offerings  to 
the  Babe  of  Bethlehem,  an  observer  of  the  stars,  and 
skilled  in  magic.  I  have  dwelt  in  many  lands,  sojourn- 
ing for  some  time  in  Athens  before  coming  here." 

"  Of  what  avail  is  the  mystery  and  seclusion  which  are 
wrapped  about  thy  seership?  " 

"Behold  the  minds  of  this  generation  are  descended 
from  the  spiritual  altitude  of  the  sages  of  the  earlier 
world,  therefore  the  mysteries  of  the  Universe,  and  of 
mind  and  spirit,  must  be  veiled  and  guarded  from  the 
sensuous  vulgarity  of  the  present  age.  How  long,  think- 
est  thou,  should  we  be  permitted  to  cultivate  acquain- 
tance with  mysticism  and  smritual  science  if  our  Art 
were  made  known  to  Nero  ?  Behold  if  water  is  to  mirror 


NOCTURNAL  INTERVIEW  WITH  A  SEER     455 

the  heavens  it  must  be  still  and  deep,  and  wholly  un- 
ruffled by  the  winds  of  Circumstance !  Our  wisdom  would 
shrink  to  naught  unless  lifted  beyond  the  murky  atmos- 
phere of  the  sense  and  selfishness  of  every-day  life." 

"  I  perceive  the  truth  of  what  thou  speakest,  and  would 
know  further  of  thy  philosophy  and  aspiration." 

"  Behold  the  Divine  One  is  unveiled  in  many  ways  to 
the  inner  vision  of  men.  Our  distinctive  reading  of  Him 
is  through  the  pages  of  Nature.  We  find  living  oracular 
voices  in  the  poetry  and  harmony  of  the  Universe,  and 
also  in  the  underlying  laws  of  the  mind  of  man.  To  in- 
terpret Nature  and  Law  is  to  interpret  God.  We  must 
study  the  adumbration,  locution,  and  the  architecture  of 
the  whole  creation.  All  is  life,  and  life  is  LOVE.  In 
the  world  of  sense  love  is  personal  and  narrow.  In  the 
higher  spheres  it  reduces  all  things  to  itself,  and  becomes 
impersonal  and  all-inclusive.  To  penetrate  the  secrets 
of  the  Universal  Mind  and  discover  the  invisible  revol- 
ving wheels  of  Nature,  one  must  ascend  an  unseen  mount 
—  ALONE.  Only  through  such  solitude  can  the  soul 
uncover  itself  and  come  into  full  contact  with  the  Eter- 
nal, and  at  length  gain  a  complete  mastery  over  the  base 
idolatry  of  the  common  life." 

"  I  fain  would  know  more  particularly  concerning  thine 
own  chosen  field  of  research?  " 

"  I  may  make  known  to  thee  that  the  Magi  of  the  East 
are  of  three  Orders,  different,  though  related,  for  they 
are  One.  The  triangle  hath  three  sides.  The  first  Order 
is  given  mainly  to  the  study  of  and  communion  with  Na- 
ture, or  rather  her  motives  and  internal  forces.  The 
second  is  concerned  with  the  assuagement  and  healing 


456  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  the  ills  and  disorders  of  the  race,  and  the  third  seeks 
near  acquaintance  with  the  mysteries  and  manifestations 
of  Spirit  while  abiding  in  incarnate  forms,  and  also  the 
invoking  of  those  that  have  become  excarnate.  It  in- 
cludes a  study  of  the  laws,  communications,  and  unfold- 
ment  of  human  minds  and  souls.  My  own  researches 
and  experiments  are  more  specifically  those  of  the  third 
Order,  to  which  I  have  the  honor  to  belong." 

The  thought  of  Marcius  went  back  to  Alethea. 

"My  own  small  experience  hath  convinced  me,  not 
only  that  spirits  survive  earthly  dissolution,  but  that 
they  sometimes  appear  in  the  seen  form." 

The  sage  nodded  assent,  and  observed,  — 

"It  is  true  that  those  who  are  in  the  Beyond,  under 
certain  favorable  circumstances  not  commonly  understood, 
may  briefly  draw  to  themselves  some  of  the  finer  elements 
of  neighboring  bodies,  and  even  clothe  themselves  with 
them.  This  is  no  marvel !  It  is  in  accord  with  the  spir- 
itual laws  of  man's  constitution.  When  embodied,  Mind 
commands  its  own  organism.  In  lesser  degree,  after  the 
seen  hath  been  dropped,  its  inherent  forces  may  lay  hold 
of  the  subtle  elements  that  are  less  closely  related,  and 
mould  them  for  a  temporary  purpose." 

"  Do  those  who  cross  the  Styx  find  upon  landing  upon 
the  farther  side  that  they  are  much  wiser,  and  at  once 
rid  of  the  errors  of  the  fleshly  experience  ?  " 

"  Nay ;  the  higher  states  come  only  by  growth  into  har- 
mony with  the  Universal  Good,  which  is  through  patient 
and  persistent  aspiration.  Most  souls  are  inert  until 
pushed  forward  by  the  pains  of  discordant  environment. 
The  same  faults  must  be  overcome,  the  same  phantoms 


NOCTURNAL   INTERVIEW  WITH  A   SEER      457 

vanquished  and  selfishness  put  away,  as  in  the  seen. 
The  wonted  passions  rage,  even  though  without  material 
expression.  But  thanks  to  friendly  thought-ministration 
from  intelligences  more  highly  developed,  both  in  the 
visible  and  invisible,  progress  soon  begins,  and  will  con- 
tinue. The  cords  that  hold  spirits  in  prison  must  be 
weakened  in  every  strand  through  retributive  and  purify- 
ing discipline  until  they  finally  give  way,  and  then  re- 
leased souls  can  mount  aloft  into  a  larger  freedom.  To 
put  on  a  heavenly  consciousness  at  once  would  be  a  vio- 
lation of  all  the  laws  of  normal  growth  and  universal 
method.  Thought  must  wear  new  channels,  whether 
with  or  without  the  cruder  embodiment." 

"Is  there  a  spiritual  body?" 

"  There  is  a  finer  form,  which  is  gently  released  when 
the  grosser  embodiment  drops  away,  being  no  longer  fit 
for  occupancy.  To  the  clear  vision  of  a  Hierophant 
there  are  even  soul  tints  and  colors  which  emanate  from 
living  forms,  and  index  the  quality  of  their  thought.  The 
delicate  goodly  hues  of  thine  own  inner  nature  have  been 
plainly  visible  to  me  since  thou  entered  yonder  door." 

"  Do  the  spiritual  atmospheres  of  those  upon  the  plane 
of  the  seen  touch  each  other,  and  make  themselves  felt 
beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  body?" 

"Yea,  like  auras,  meet  and  mingle  harmoniously,  while 
those  which  are  discordant  in  color  and  vibration  are 
mutually  repellant.  There  is  an  all-pervading  ethereal 
Substance  which  fills  all  space,  and  is  also  penetrative  of 
all  matter.  It  is  the  medium  which  connects  individual- 
ized thought  with  the  Universal  Mind.  As  the  trembling 
strings  of  a  harp  launch  its  music  upon  the  undulations 


458  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  the  atmosphere,  so  the  waves  of  thought  are  wafted 
through  that  Infinite  Ocean  in  which  we  dwell  to  their 
desired  Destination,  or  perchance  forth  into  ever-increas- 
ing outward  circles. 

"What  is  matter?" 

"  Matter  is  spirit  in  its  crudest  manifestation.  It  is 
the  primary  educational  plane  of  soul,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  moulding  material  for  its  elementary  practice.  In- 
dividuated soul  builds  it  up  into  organic  forms.  We  must 
not  forget  also  that  there  are  innumerable  grades  of  in- 
dividuated souls  below  the  plane  of  the  Human." 

"What  wouldst  thou  interpret  as  the  basic  principle 
of  all  life?" 

"  Love,  which  when  manifested  in  the  lower  forms 
of  matter,  we  call  attraction  or  gravitation,  pervades 
the  Universe,  and  is  the  mainspring  of  all  life.  As  it 
rises  in  the  scale  of  unfolding  Being  it  becomes  refined 
and  spiritualized.  All  individuated  consciousness  must 
finally  come  into  harmonic  vibration  with  the  Universal 
Spirit.  Behold  the  Divine  One  hath  made  everything 
from  HIMSELF  !  But  the  moments  flee.  Peradventure 
thou  wouldst  know  more  fully  the  definite  purpose  for 
which  thy  visit  was  desired?" 

"  I  await  thy  convenience." 

"A  disquieted  Intelligence,  for  some  time  beyond  the 
confines  of  visibility,  craveth  converse  with  thee.  Per- 
adventure thou  mayest  be  able  to  accomplish  much  in 
giving  release  and  bringing  reconciliation." 

"I  cannot  divine  who  or  what  It  may  be!"  replied 
Marcius  with  an  expression  of  deep  curiosity. 

The  Seer  then  arose,  and  inviting  Marcius  to  follow, 


NOCTURNAL   INTERVIEW  WITH  A   SEER     459 

led  the  way  into  an  adjoining  room.  There  was  no 
light  save  the  rays  of  the  full  moon  which  came  in 
brightly  through  two  casements,  the  clouds  having  dis- 
persed. The  door  was  closed,  and  Marcius  shown  to 
a  seat. 

The  room  was  octagonal  in  shape,  and  of  moderate 
size,  except  in  height,  which  was  great  in  proportion 
to  the  other  dimensions.  Upon  the  vaulted  ceiling  far 
above  there  were  dim  points  of  light,  which  like  stars 
seemed  to  have  a  luminosity  of  their  own.  High  above 
their  heads  small  ^Eolian  harps  hung  in  valves  which 
were  open  to  the  gentle  zephyrs  without,  and  they  were 
discoursing  soft,  sweet  melody  which  seemed  more  like 
heavenly  whisperings  than  earthly  music. 

Soon  the  Seer  gave  a  signal,  upon  which  a  man  clad 
in  loose  white  robes  entered  and  seated  himself  upon 
a  dais  between  the  two  casements.  There  was  sufficient 
light  to  show  Marcius  that  the  face  was  that  of  the 
messenger  who  had  guided  him  to  the  castle.  The 
harmony,  beauty,  and  softness  of  the  whole  scene  was 
so  impressive  that  he  awaited  some  demonstration 
with  anxious  expectancy.  His  thoughts  turned  once 
more  back  to  Alethea,  and  his  heart  beat  quickly  at 
the  memory  of  the  vision  long  ago  in  the  Tarsian 
adytum. 

But  see  !  A  tremor  passes  over  the  frame  of  the  figure 
upon  the  dais.  His  breast  heaves,  his  muscles  relax, 
his  eyelids  droop,  and  he  seems  like  one  entranced. 

Anon  a  mist,  at  first  so  rare  as  to  be  barely  dis- 
cernible, formed  in  a  gathering  cloud  just  before  the 
dais! 


460  VICTOR  SERENUS 

It  gains  in  density,  gradually  solidifies,  and  finally 
assumes  definite  form! 
"  Leander ! " 


Marcius  marvelled ! 

The  same  wavy  brown  hair!  —  dark  blue  eyes  !  —  fair 
complexion,  with  skin  white,  as  if  polished  with  baths 
and  oil !  His  costume  was  that  of  an  actor  in  dramatic 
representation. 

Marcius  was  still  more  surprised  when  Leander  as- 
sumed an  oratorical  attitude,  and  in  his  old-time  impas- 
sioned manner  began  the  recitation  of  Greek  poetry. 
Then  followed  a  scene  from  one  of  the  tragedies  of 
Sophocles.  After  closing,  he  waited  a  moment,  as  if  ex- 
pecting applause. 

Marcius  almost  forgot  the  present  in  such  a  realistic 
dream  of  the  past. 

" Behold,"  said  the  Master  in  a  whisper,  "the  persis- 
tence of  mental  habit !  Pressing  though  his  business  be 
with  thee,  this  dramatic  fragment  must  needs  be  pro- 
jected from  his  surcharged  soul  before  he  can  give  his 
message  ! " 

Leander  now  came  forward  and  laid  his  hand  upon 
the  shoulder  of  Marcius.  An  intensely  woeful  expres- 
sion was  manifest. 

"  O  Marcius  !  I  have  sent  for  thee  !  Behold  I  am  dis- 
quieted !  I  fain  would  quench  the  hatred  toward  thee 
that  was  long  ago  kindled  in  my  soul,  but  am  not  able  ! 
In  spite  of  every  effort  it  reasserts  itself  through  habit  1 
It  is  like  a  fire  which  when  smothered  in  one  place 


NOCTURNAL  INTERVIEW  WITH  A   SEER     461 

breaketh  out  anew  of  itself!  I  crave  thy  forgiveness, 
which,  if  thou  dost  grant  it,  may  peradventure  help  to 
release  me  from  this  terrible  thraldom  1 " 

"  Take  courage,  for  it  is  freely  granted !  I  give  thee 
my  love,  and  pronounce  thy  release  !  " 

"  I  bless  thy  goodness,  and  thank  thee  that  thou  wast 
minded  to  follow  the  messenger  to  this  place  1  But  I 
have  yet  a  great  work  to  do !  Behold  the  old  thoughts 
rise  up  before  me  and  will  not  be  laid  1 " 

Marcius  gave  him  a  kindly  look,  and  replied, — 

"  Think  of  love,  love,  LOVE  !  for  behold  its  presence 
in  thy  soul  will  at  length  displace  all  its  opposites  1 
That  is  the  method  by  which  thou  mayest  dissolve  them 
into  nothingness. " 

"  But,  O  Marcius  I  I  have  not  yet  told  thee  the  worst ! 
I  tried  to  murder  thee  1  With  base  gold  I  bought  a  po- 
tion that  was  to  dull  thy  reason,  destroy  thy  wisdom, 
and  hasten  thy  mind  and  body  to  decay  before  the 
wonted  time  !  Listen  to  my  iniquity !  With  more  gold, 
by  my  direction,  Colurus  was  hired  to  administer  the 
potion  to  thee!  But,  thanks  to  all  the  gods  —  none  of 
which  I  have  beheld  since  I  left  the  body  —  thou  art  here 
and  well !  The  potion  took  no  effect,  but,  oh,  the  guilt  is 
not  the  less  !  I  am  tormented  beyond  measure  for  hav- 
ing so  rewarded  the  best  friend  I  ever  had !  A  fire  rageth 
within  my  thought,  and  I  have  no  restl  Horror  and 
destruction,  in  living  forms,  follow  and  point  at  me  1" 

He  groaned  in  spirit,  and  tears  rolled  down  his  face. 

"In  vain  have  I  called  unceasingly  upon  the  gods  for 
release  !  I  love  thee  now !  but  the  old  hateful  thoughts, 
like  foul  spirits,  thrust  themselves  continually  before  me  I " 


462  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Calm  thyself,  Leander !  All  will  yet  be  well !  Love 
finally  will  conquer  !  " 

"But,  O  Marcius!  added  to  murderous  thoughts  of 
thee,  my  appetites  of  the  flesh  yet  rage  within  my  mind, 
even  though  I  have  no  flesh  to  fulfil  them !  " 

The  Seer  cast  a  benignant  glance  upon  Leander,  and 
said  reassuringly,  — 

"  Behold  thou  hast  repented  of  all  thy  sins,  and  they 
are  in  process  of  being  cast  out.  Beneficent  laws  have 
ordained  that  growth  cometh  through  pain.  Virtue  is 
valuable  because  it  costs  much,  and  its  sweetness  cometh 
from  intelligent  contrast.  As  Marcius  hath  well  said, 
only  love  can  heal  thy  disquietude.  But  time  is  neces- 
sary, for  there  are  no  sudden  leaps  in  soul.  All  things 
grow  only  from  cultivation  and  desire." 

Leander  paced  the  room  with  intense  agitation,  as  if 
impelled  by  some  evil  spirit,  but  at  length,  by  great  effort, 
stopped  before  Marcius,  and  kneeled  with  bowed  head. 

"  Bless  thee  once  more  for  thy  hearty  forgiveness  !  My 
distress  is  a  little  lessened  because  I  behold  something 
of  the  light  of  the  future  which  thou  hast  pointed  out ! 
Oh,  how  I  bless  thee  for  thy  words  —  love  —  love  — 
LOVE  !  Only  love  can  give  me  peace  !  I  will  grasp  it, 
cling  to  it,  and  think  of  nothing  else !  I  will  love  both 
gods  and  men  —  everything!" 

"  Thy  love  shall  wax,  and  the  day  will  be  hastened 
when  thy  chains  shall  be  fully  broken.  My  forgiveness 
and  affection  shall  forever  rest  upon  thee  1  " 

A  backward  step,  and  anon  his  form  became  cloudy 
and  indefinable.  Then,  slowly,  like  a  summer  evening's 
cloud,  it  dissolved,  and  was  seen  no  more. 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  463 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

TWO   WOEFUL   SOULS    RELEASED 

IT  was  a  little  before  mid-day,  and  the  forum  and 
market-place  of  Puteoli  were  filled  with  a  throng  which 
represented  a  mingling  of  different  races,  avocations,  and 
professions.  Some  were  in  favorite  places  of  resort, 
passing  the  hours  in  dolce  far  niente,  and  even  the  busy 
ones  moved  leisurely  under  the  influence  of  the  soft  and 
luxurious  atmosphere  of  southern  Italy.  Life  among 
all  classes  was  spent  mainly  out-of-doors,  or  in  public 
places  like  the  temples,  baths,  forum,  or  porticos. 
Simply  to  exist  in  such  a  climate  was  a  dreamy  luxury. 
The  passive  enjoyment  of  the  present  hour  barred  out 
any  anxious  future.  If  an  earthquake  caused  some  trem- 
bling of  the  immediate  environment  to-day,  they  were 
yet  willing  to  let  to-morrow  take  care  for  the  things  of 
itself. 

Here  and  there  was  a  sleek  and  luxurious  Roman 
noble,  a  senator,  or  perchance  some  member  of  the 
court  of  Nero,  whose  country  home  was  on  the  coast, 
jostled  by  merchants  and  seamen  from  every  clime  of  the 
then  known  world.  The  long  toga  of  the  magistrate  or 
lawyer  was  brushed  by  the  picturesque  costume  of  the 
peasant,  the  embroidered  tunic  of  the  pleasure-seeker,  or 
perchance  the  rags  of  a  beggar. 


464  VICTOR  SERENUS 

Here,  as  in  the  neighboring  cities  of  Herculaneum 
and  Pompeii,  Grecian  art  had  taken  early  root,  and  fres- 
cos, carvings,  and  other  ornate  decoration  covered  every 
available  space. 

Near  the  heart  of  the  business  quarter  on  the  side  of 
a  colonnade  were  the  stalls  of  the  money-changers,  with 
their  shining  heaps  in  full  view,  which  were  the  fruit  of 
exchanges  of  the  coins  of  many  nations,  the  corn,  animal 
products,  and  merchandise  of  which  were  landed  here  on 
the  way  to  the  Eternal  City.  At  intervals  the  statue  of 
some  one  of  the  Caesars,  a  triumphal  arch,  a  bronze  or 
marble  god  or  goddess,  with  frequent  fountains  whose 
iridescent  spray  danced  and  sparkled  in  the  sunlight, 
gave  variety  'and  artistic  beauty  to  the  scene. 

Petty  traders  displayed  their  varied  wares,  and  artifi- 
cers fashioned  their  handiwork  and  deftly  exercised  their 
different  crafts  with  a  well-ordered  professional  skill. 
The  easy-going  life  of  the  great  majority,  to  outward 
appearance,  seemed  like  a  long-drawn-out  poetic  revery. 
Gayety  and  love  of  pleasure  and  show  glistened  on  the 
surface  of  the  complex  river  of  life  that  flowed  smoothly 
along. 

The  temple  of  Jupiter  occupied  one  side  of  the  forum, 
and  a  straggling  and  variable  procession  passed  in  and 
out,  who  came  to  pay  their  devotions  to  the  chief  god  of 
the  Roman  state.  In  plain  sight  of  the  temple,  fronting 
on  a  narrow  street  which  led  from  the  forum,  and  on  the 
same  side,  was  a  plain,  square  building,  somewhat  resem- 
bling a  Jewish  synagogue.  This  was  the  meeting-place 
of  a  small  congregation  of  the  members  of  the  New 
Faith,  which  was  composed  of  divers  races,  including  a 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  465 

few  Jews  who  had  left  behind  their  national  ceremonial- 
ism.  The  outgoing  waves  of  the  new  spiritual  movement 
in  the  East  had  reached  this  distant  shore,  and,  chiefly 
through  the  influence  of  Marcius  and  Rebecca,  had  crys- 
tallized into  an  organization. 

Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  dangerous  persecu- 
tion, though  much  prejudice  and  dishonor  had  been 
visited  upon  the  disciples.  They  had  been  contemp- 
tuously designated  as  "atheists,"  "despisers  of  the  fine 
arts,"  "maligners  of  the  gods  and  the  temple,"  and  by 
common  reputation  rated  as  disloyal  to  the  "divine 
Caesar." 

The  great  fame  of  Saulus  as  an  apostle,  preacher,  and 
healer  had  long  before  preceded  him,  and  soon  the  news 
of  his  arrival,  as  a  prisoner  on  his  way  to  Rome,  became 
noised  abroad.  Serenus  also,  though  less  known  to  the 
common  people,  had  much  reputation. 

On  the  day  already  noted,  being  the  fifth  after  the 
landing  of  Saulus,  a  noisy  group,  composed  mainly  of 
idlers  who  frequented  the  streets,  gathered  near  the 
meeting-place  of  the  disciples.  In  the  midst  of  the 
boisterous  crowd,  a  man  whose  appearance  indicated 
that  he  was  of  the  lower  orders,  seemed  to  be  the  prin- 
cipal subject  of  an  animated  controversy. 

"  He  is  no  other  than  the  cripple !  "  said  one. 

"  He  is  not  the  cripple,  but  is  like  him !  "  said  an- 
other. 

The  man  was  straight,  and  had  full  command  of  his 
limbs,  and  began  to  dance  with  a  light  step  to  show 
his  agility.  His  name  was  Lausus,  formerly  a  sailor, 
but  from  the  effect  of  a  fall  several  years  before  had 


466  VICTOR  SERENUS 

long  been  a  cripple.  He  had  sold  small  trinkets  about 
the  streets  until  he  became  familiarly  known  as  "  The 
Cripple." 

The  dispute  continued. 

"  He  is  the  cripple  and  has  been  healed ! " 

"  He  is  a  hypocrite,  and  one  of  the  fanatics  who  are 
traitors  to  Caesar!  I  declare  to  you  that  they  are  sor- 
cerers, and  worship  a  Nazarene  Jew  whom  they  call 
Christus  1 " 

"It  is  truly  Lausus!  let  him  speak  for  himself!" 

There  was  a  pause  as  he  beckoned  for  silence. 

"I  am  the  lame  man  who  for  so  long  hath  sold  or- 
naments !  Behold  I  am  healed  of  my  trouble ! " 

"  How  wast  thou  restored  ?  "  asked  one  who  seemed 
willing  to  learn  the  truth. 

"Behold  two  members  of  the  household  of  the  New 
Faith,  who  are  guests  of  Marcius,  the  Roman,  laid  hands 
upon  me,  and  my  limbs  are  whole!" 

"What  are  their  names?" 

"  Saulus  and  Serenus." 

"What  did  they  say  to  thee?" 

"After  laying  their  hands  upon  me,  in  the  name  of 
the  God  of  the  whole  earth,  they  declared  my  lame- 
ness healed!  " 

"He  is  Lausus,  and  his  word  is  true,  for  I  was  a 
witness!  "  said  another. 

"  I  was  healed  of  blindness  !  "  cried  a  new  voice. 

"Another  deceiver  and  fanatic!"  growled  a  bystander. 

"Two  days  ago  I  was  able  only  to  behold  a  little 
light  when  the  sun  shone  brightly,  and  now,  God  be 
thanked,  I  can  see  clearly !  " 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  467 

"What  did  they  tell  thee?  " 

" '  Thy  faith  hath  given  thee  sight  I  Give  God  the 
praise! '  " 

"Did  they  not  touch  thine  eyes?" 

"Yea,  they  anointed  them;  but  said  that  it  was  only 
an  outward  symbol,  and  that  it  was  my  own  faith  that 
restored  me  ! " 

Still  other  voices  in  the  crowd  gave  marvellous  testi- 
monies of  wonderful  works. 

The  throng  was  divided.  Some  mocked,  and  cried 
out  that  it  was  only  a  conspiracy  to  bring  the  New 
Faith  into  favor. 

The  tumult  increased,  and  the  crowd  grew  larger. 

"  Down  with  them  !  they  are  dreamers  and  beside 
themselves  1  " 

"Nay,  they  speak  the  truth  1 " 

"Their  pretended  healings  are  lies!  I  have  heard 
that  they  are  murderers  of  new-born  babes  1 " 

"  It  is  a  slander  !  " 

"  Down  with  the  deceivers  !  drive  them  out  1 " 

"  Is  it  wrong  to  heal  disease  ?  " 

"They  show  contempt  to  Jupiter  and  all  the  gods  by 
paying  homage  to  a  Jew !  " 

The  controversy  grew  more  bitter,  and  at  length  ended 
with  the  beating  of  Lausus,  and  he  was  left  almost  help- 
less ;  but  soon  he  was  borne  away  by  some  of  the  breth- 
ren. The  aid  of  the  twain  who  had  ministered  relief 
before  was  again  sought,  and  he  speedily  recovered  from 
his  bruises. 

The  tumult,  the  rumors  of  healing,  their  denial  and 
affirmation,  with  the  violent  aspersion  of  the  doctrines 


468  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  practices  of  the  members  of  the  New  Faith,  caused 
a  widespread  dispute  and  division  among  the  people  of 
the  entire  coast.  The  opposers  of  the  new  movement 
stoutly  maintained  that  the  examples  of  healing  were 
temporary  and  imaginary,  and  that  those  upon  whom  the 
works  had  been  wrought  were  self-deceived,  or  that  they 
never  had  been  afflicted  with  any  veritable  disorders. 

The  two  visitors  found  themselves  the  subjects  of  a 
great  controversy,  which  grew  to  be  so  earnest  that  even 
the  influence  of  Marcius  hardly  could  protect  them  from 
insult  on  one  side,  and  homage  and  almost  deification  on 
the  other.  Their  fame  spread  so  rapidly  that  calls  came 
from  all  directions;  and  when  the  day  had  ended  they 
had  ministered  to  scores  of  sick  folk,  and  brought  res- 
toration and  health  into  outward  manifestation. 

"Behold  your  works  of  mercy  have  stirred  up  much 
commotion  among  the  people  of  Puteoli  1 "  said  Marcius, 
as  the  household  gathered  at  the  close  of  the  day's 
experiences. 

"  It  is  ever  thus !  "  said  Saulus.  "  The  outward  signs 
and  fruits  which  follow  and  attest  the  glow  of  the  higher 
life  are  an  inspiration  to  those  who  believe  and  accept 
them,  but  a  rock  of  offence  and  stumbling  to  the  faithless. 
The  selfsame  works,  therefore,  may  bless  or  curse  in  due 
measure,  according  to  the  manner  in  which  they  are 
received." 

Just  then  the  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  com- 
ing of  a  messenger,  who  besought  Saulus  and  Serenus  to 
visit  a  man  who  was  violently  possessed  of  an  evil  spirit. 
They  started  immediately,  and  were  led  for  some  distance 
through  the  darkness  of  the  evening,  finally  halting  be- 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  469 

fore  the  large  and  richly  appointed  country-house  of  a 
Roman  patrician.  Entering  the  spacious  court,  they  were 
met  by  the  wife  and  a  few  other  friends  of  the  afflicted 
man,  who  was  no  other  than  the  owner  of  the  villa. 

"We  have  heard  of  your  wonderful  works,  but  wot  not 
by  what  power  they  are  wrought;  and  now  behold  the 
master  of  the  house  is  grievously  tormented,  and  a  rich 
reward  will  be  given  if  you  will  restore  him." 

The  Roman  matron  added  her  importunate  request. 

"O  sirs!  he  is  a  kind  and  upright  man  when  the  de- 
mon doth  not  possess  him!  Can  you  cast  out  the  foul 
spirit?  Behold  when  it  useth  him  he  is  exceeding  fierce, 
so  that  he  must  needs  be  bound  with  chains.  Silver  and 
gold  in  abundance  shall  be  yours  if  peradventure  you 
can  compass  his  release." 

"  We  come  not  for  silver  and  gold !  "  said  Serenus ; 
"but  in  the  name  of  the  Eternal  Spirit  of  Goodness,  to 
bring  joy,  peace,  and  salvation  to  this  house.  Thy  hus- 
band shall  be  restored." 

Two  strong  attendants  led  the  way,  a  few  steps  in  ad- 
vance, to  a  massive  room  in  the  basement,  where  the 
Roman  was  securely  bound  with  chains.  He  glared 
fiercely  as  they  entered,  and  sprang  forward  to  the  full 
length  of  his  bonds  to  attack  them.  Serenus  and  Saulus 
followed  immediately  behind,  and  so  soon  as  his  eyes 
rested  upon  them  he  relaxed  and  sank  quietly  into  a  seat, 
trembling,  and  frothing  at  the  mouth  as  if  in  a  fit.  He 
was  a  large  man,  and  clad  in  a  thick  leathern  garb  that 
he  might  not  wound  himself.  His  manly  features  and 
noble  forehead  were  distorted  with  rage,  his  nostrils  dis- 
tended, and  his  eyes  shot  out  fiery  glances  until  they 


4/O  VICTOR  SERENUS 

softened  and  partly  closed  at  the  sight  of  the  unwonted 
visitors.  Soon  he  sat  upright,  and  was  in  a  more  quiet 
but  still  defiant  mood,  though  he  did  not  try  again  to 
arise. 

Saulus  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"Thou  foul  and  wicked  spirit!  in  the  name  of  the 
same  ever-present  Christ  that  had  full  and  visible  mani- 
festation through  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  I  command  thee  to 
come  out  of  him!  " 

The  man  was  shaken  as  if  by  a  paroxysm,  but  after 
much  effort  opened  his  lips. 

"  Through  the  mouth  of  this  man  I  confess  unto  thee 
that  I  am  both  foul  and  wicked,  as  thou  hast  said,  and 
that  I  must  needs  obey  thee ! " 

Serenus  turned  lovingly  toward  his  companion. 

"  Brother  Saulus,  I  pray  thee,  before  sending  him  away 
to  darkness  and  despair,  if  thou  wilt,  let  us  hold  brief 
converse  with  him.  Behold  is  he  not  bound  and  in  tor- 
ment, and  doth  not  he  also  need  release,  even  as  this 
Roman  ?  " 

"  O  Serenus,  thou  speakest  with  thy  wonted  wisdom ! 
I  thank  thee,  for  I  thought  only  of  the  Roman  !  With 
all  my  long  missionary  experiences  I  may  still  gain  fur- 
ther knowledge  and  mercy  from  thee.  I  beseech  thee, 
do  what  seemeth  good  in  thine  own  eyes." 

Serenus  then  came  near,  and  calmly  looked  into  the 
man's  face. 

"  Why  dost  thou  torment  this  Roman  who  hath  never 
done  aught  against  thee  ?  " 

"  Behold  I  am  in  a  rage  of  misery  which  is  the  bitter 
fruit  of  my  life  while  in  the  flesh,  and  I  have  found 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  471 

a  certain  satisfaction  in  the  control  and  sensations  of  a 
material  body  of  expression  !  " 

"  Why  didst  thou  choose  this  man  ? " 

"His  weak  personality  lacked  any  positive  moral  and 
spiritual  strength,  therefore  he  offered  no  resistance  to 
my  occupation." 

"Now  thou  speakest  the  words  of  soberness." 

"Thy  presence  hath  calmed  my  anger,  and,  for  the 
hour,  restored  my  power  to  reason  understand ingly." 

"  Thou  hast  been  an  adversary  to  everything  good  or 
Godlike?" 

"Yea;  in  my  sight  everything  seemed  to  be  against 
me,  and  I  raged  against  everything  in  return,  and  that 
kindled  a  hell  within  my  soul." 

"  Behold  the  Spirit  of  the  Eternal  Goodness  is  every- 
where, and  is  All,  but  so  long  as  thou  dost  resist  it,  or 
any  of  its  offspring,  whether  in  the  fleshly  garb  or  out 
of  it,  thou  dost  make  torture  for  thyself  I  " 

"  It  hath  tormented  me  beyond  measure  !  " 

"  Behold,  as  thou  hast  possessed  this  man's  organism, 
hatred,  envy,  and  malice  likewise  have  possessed  thee !  " 

"Thou  dost  perfectly  discern  the  truth!" 

"  I  now  declare  unto  thee,  that  even  as  we,  through  the 
divinity  that  is  lodged  within  us,  can  deliver  this  man 
from  the  bondage  of  thy  possession,  so,  if  thou  wouldst, 
we  may  liberate  thee  from  the  prison  of  thy  bondage  !  " 

"  Peradventure  I  might  fall  back  and  again  be  made 
captive  !  " 

"Nay;  there  is  one  merciful  Deliverer  who  hath  all 
the  keys  for  thy  release,  and  is  always  with  thee !  He 
will  ever  serve  thee  if  thou  dost  call  upon  him  I " 


4/2  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  A  strange  doctrine  !     Who  and  where  is  he  ?  " 

"  He  is  Love  !  and  is  here  !  Call  his  name,  think  his 
thoughts,  and  feel  his  spirit,  and  thou  mayest  forever  be 
free,  or  on  the  path  toward  freedom  !  " 

Serenus  then  placed  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the 
Roman. 

"  Through  the  divine  channel  of  my  own  Being,  I  pro- 
nounce freedom  for  thee  and  for  this  man  whom  thou 
hast  possessed  !  " 

"I  feel  in  myself  a  strange  influx  of  new  peace  and 
harmony !  Behold  I  never  knew  these  things  before ! " 

"  Now  thou  dost  release  forever  this  man  of  thine  own 
free  will,  and  also  seek  thine  own  release  in  the  way 
marked  out  ? " 

"  With  all  my  mind  and  strength  !  Oh,  I  bless  thee 
that  thou  didst  not  send  me  back  to  my  former  de- 
spair !  " 

"  Go  in  peace !  And  to  make  thine  own  freedom  more 
perfect  and  abundant,  labor  for  the  release  of  those  of 
thy  brethren  who  are  yet  bound  !  " 

"  My  saviour,  I  will !     Behold  I  go  !  " 


The  Roman  aroused  himself  and  glanced  about  him 
with  strange  surprise.  As  he  slowly  arose  there  was  a 
clanking  of  chains.  He  stared  in  wonder  at  them,  and 
then  at  his  leathern  raiment,  and  looking  around  awaited 
an  explanation.  There  was  a  momentary  silence  as  he 
surveyed  his  strong  attendants,  and  then  glanced  into 
the  faces  of  Serenus  and  Saulus. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  and  what  has  happened  ?      Oh,  what 


TWO    WOEFUL   SOULS  RELEASED  473 

a  terrible  vision,  but  now  I  have  awakened !  But  I 
am  not  in  my  bed  !  " 

"  Be  not  disturbed  !  "  said  Serenus.  "  Behold  we  are 
all  here  for  thy  good.  Thou  hast  been  set  free  from  the 
evil  spell  of  a  disquieted  spirit  that  for  a  season  hath 
possessed  thy  members." 

"  Oh,  my  terrible  vision  !  I  beseech  all  the  gods  that 
I  may  never  have  another  !  " 

"  Loose  him ! "  said  Serenus.  "  His  bondage  is 
ended  ! " 

Serenus  and  Saulus  then  retired  to  the  court  of  the 
house,  while  the  attendants  remained  to  minister  to  his 
immediate  necessities,  and  assist  him  in  clothing  him- 
self with  his  own  raiment. 

"Behold  thy  husband  is  healed!"  said  Serenus  to  the 
matron.  "  He  will  appear  before  thee  presently,  clothed, 
and  in  his  right  mind." 

She  bowed  herself  before  the  twain  as  if  they  were 
some  strange  gods  in  human  form. 

"  O  sirs !  I  bless  you  for  the  great  favor  which  you 
have  bestowed  upon  this  house!  Henceforth  we  will 
worship  your  God  with  all  devotion !  Tell  me  his  name, 
I  pray  thee  !  " 

"  He  is  the  God  of  all  the  earth,  the  Father  of  all  men 
and  spirits,  whether  in  the  flesh  or  out  of  it.  In  him  we 
abide  !  His  strength  is  ours,  and  his  breath  is  our  life  !  " 

Soon  the  Roman  entered,  calm  and  self-controlled  as 
he  was  wont  long  aforetime,  and  clasping  his  wife  in  his 
embrace,  they  wept  for  joy. 

"Behold  these  are  thy  saviours!"  said  the  matron, 
pointing  to  the  two  friends  as  soon  as  the  first  greetings 


474  VICTOR  SERENUS 

were  passed.  "  I  declared  unto  them  that  their  God  shall 
be  our  God  !  " 

"Yea,  give  God  all  the  glory!  Behold  we  are  but 
instruments  through  which  his  power  floweth  1 "  said 
Serenus. 

The  sudden  recovery  of  his  own  consciousness  was  so 
strange  that  the  Roman  marvelled,  and  much  explanation 
was  necessary  to  make  him  understand  the  past  and  what 
had  been  wrought  within  him.  His  gratitude  was  with- 
out measure,  and  he  pressed  his  new-found  friends  to 
take  a  reward,  which  was  refused.  After  giving  him  a 
faithful  but  simple  statement  of  the  New  Faith,  and 
promising  that  Marcius  would  come  and  instruct  him 
more  fully,  and  be  his  friend  after  their  departure  from 
the  coast,  they  returned  to  the  house  of  their  host. 

On  the  evening  of  the  following  day  the  whole  house- 
hold of  Marcius  was  again  gathered  upon  the  outer  porch 
which  overlooked  the  charming  bay.  The  loving  circle 
of  friends  was  to  be  broken  the  next  morning.  Per- 
chance some  of  them  might  never  again  view  each  other's 
faces  in  the  flesh.  Saulus,  in  the  charge  of  Julius,  the 
centurion,  was  to  depart  for  Rome  on  his  way  to  trial, 
accompanied  by  his  friends,  Luke  and  Aristarchus.  Se- 
renus and  Amabel  at  the  same  time  were  to  take  ship 
for  their  home  in  Alexandria. 

As  they  sat  looking  out  upon  the  picturesque  cliffs 
and  islets  near  and  distant,  which  were  softened  by  the 
purple  of  closing  day,  there  was  an  interval  of  deep  si- 
lence, broken  only  by  the  rhythmical  plash  of  the  waves 
below.  All  thoughts  were  centred  upon  the  coming 
separation. 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  475 

At  length  Marcius  turned  toward  Saulus,  — 

"  Would  that  it  were  some  other  Caesar  than  Nero  be- 
fore whose  tribunal  thou  wert  to  appear !  But  we  will 
hope  all  things,  and  believe  in  all  good.  Thou  art  wise 
and  fearless,  and  the  favor  of  God  will  abide  with  thee  I  " 

"Whatever  may  come  to  pass,  I  am  persuaded  that  all 
things  whatsoever  will  work  together  for  good  I  "  replied 
Saulus.  "  We  are  ministers  of  the  New  Faith,  and  look 
to  that,  and  not  to  ourselves." 

"  Yea,  brother  Saulus,  the  paths  of  duty  and  privilege 
are  one  and  the  same,"  said  Serenus. 

"Thinkest  thou  that  the  God  of  all  the  earth  will 
always  protect  his  own,  O  Serenus?"  said  Rebecca. 

"  All  divine  laws  that  pertain  to  his  children  are  be- 
neficent; but  if  thou  hast  in  mind  only  bodily  protection, 
it  may  not  always  be  assured,  although  everything  work- 
eth  toward  that  end.  But,  as  thou  knowest  well,  even  if 
the  body  be  destroyed  it  doth  not  harm  the  real  man. 
While  we  should  strive  to  care  well  for  our  bodily  mani- 
festation, because  it  is  useful,  its  loss  may  be  likened  to 
the  ruin  of  a  house,  with  its  owner  unharmed,  and  a  more 
fitting  habitation  awaiting  him." 

"As  thy  departure  draweth  near,  I  would  fain  make 
inquiry  concerning  a  matter  of  doctrine,  that  I  may  have 
a  fuller  understanding,"  said  Marcius.  "I  have  heard 
it  said  by  some  that  the  Messias  is  again  to  come  in 
visible  form,  and  that  the  end  of  all  things  draweth  nigh. 
What  thinkest  thou  of  this?  " 

"Behold,"  said  Serenus,  "the  end  of  the  world  only 
signifieth  the  closing  of  the  old  Dispensation,  whether 
in  the  world  or  in  each  human  soul.  The  Messias  is 


4/6  VICTOR  SERENUS 

all  the  time  making  his  advent  invisibly  in  the  souls  of 
men,  and  so  far  as  his  coming  is  perfected,  it  hath  out- 
ward expression,  though  not  fully  complete  in  them  as 
it  was  in  the  Nazarene.  But  every  man  already  hath  the 
unspoken  Christ,  who  seeketh  fuller  and  visible  articu- 
lation. The  light  is  within,  waiting  for  a  refinement  of 
the  outer  nature  in  order  that  it  may  shine  through." 

"There  also  appear  to  be  certain  differences  of  belief 
among  our  brethren,  concerning  the  birth,  death,  and  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  !  "  said  Marcius. 

"While  these  are  well  in  the  literal  and  outward  sense, 
their  importance  is  contained  in  the  changes  which  they 
symbolize  in  the  inner  nature  of  man.  A  belief  of  the 
head  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth  availeth 
naught;  the  Christ  mind  and  life  must  be  born  in  the 
soul." 

"How  dost  thou  view  the  day  of  judgment?  " 

"Judgment  is  set  up  within  man,  and  is  continuous. 
The  divine  Image,  or  Truth,  is  a  tribunal  in  every  one, 
and  until  the  personal  and  outer  life  cometh  into  full 
conformity,  judgment  is  never  ended.  No  outward  le- 
gality, sacrifice,  or  ceremony  can  satisfy,  but  only  an 
inner  conformity  to  the  Model." 

"What  is  the  life  beyond?  and  is  there  a  spiritual 
body  ? " 

"The  spiritual  body  is  already  formed  within  the 
visible  organism.  Its  quality  is  made  by  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart.  So  far  as  these  are  discordant 
with  the  pattern  of  the  divine  Image,  there  must  still  be 
cleansing  and  purification  in  the  beyond.  Such  a  disci- 
pline to  the  old  man,  or  fleshly  self,  seems  like  a  con- 


TWO    WOEFUL  SOULS  RELEASED  477 

suming  fire,  and  brings  severe  growing-pains  to  the  lower 
consciousness." 

"But,  dear  friends,"  continued  Serenus,  "why  address 
all  these  questions  concerning  the  deep  things  of  the 
Spirit  to  me?  Let  Saulus  speak  of  them,  and  we  will 
listen  to  him." 

"  Friends, "  said  Saulus  with  warm  earnestness,  as  he 
grasped  the  hand  of  Serenus,  "I  have  not  the  abun- 
dance of  wisdom  necessary  to  teach  my  brother  from 
whom  I  have  learned  from  the  beginning !  To  Serenus 
I  am  beholden  for  all  that  I  am  and  have !  Long  ago  he 
saved  my  life  in  Jerusalem,  when  he  knew  that  I  was  his 
worst  enemy.  Not  his  correct  doctrine  only,  but  his 
beautiful  life,  pricked  me  to  the  heart,  and  stirred  my 
soul  to  its  depths,  and  at  last  kindled  the  flame  of  the 
New  Faith  within  me.  His  example  was  ever  my  inspi- 
ration; and  the  Spirit  of  Truth  within,  which  to  me  is 
the  final  authority,  hath  confirmed  to  me  the  substance 
of  all  his  teaching.  Blessed  be  the  day,  when  as  his 
earnest  but  mistaken  opponent  in  the  academy  of  Gama- 
liel, I  first  beheld  his  goodly  face ! " 

The  spontaneous  and  eloquent  testimony  of  Saulus 
touched  a  tender  chord  in  every  heart  Marcius  was 
deeply  affected,  and  pressed  forward  and  took  the  other 
hand  of  the  beloved  disciple. 

"  Dear  Serenus !  to  thee  I  also  am  beholden  for  every- 
thing !  I  beg  thee  to  receive  my  testimony  and  blessing. 
Stained  in  my  early  years  with  the  vice  and  sensuality  of 
the  Tarsian  metropolis,  I  was  at  length  renewed  by  the 
New  Faith,  which  thou  awakened  within  me.  It  not 
only  transformed  my  life,  but  brought  to  me  the  dearest 


47$  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  purest  wife  that  ever  fell  to  the  lot  of  man.  I  am 
minded  that  thou  cravest  no  praise,  but  am  deeply  moved 
to  speak  the  simple  truth  !  " 

Then  Rebecca,  whose  face  shone  with  joy,  essayed  to 
speak. 

Serenus  beckoned  for  silence,  but  the  current  which 
had  broken  forth  was  not  to  be  stayed. 

"The  birth  of  the  New  Faith  in  my  soul  began  with 
the  converse  I  had  with  thee  after  thou  hadst  saved 
my  life  on  the  day  of  the  Temple  panic !  Thy  life, 
while  I  dwelt  in  the  Holy  City,  and  at  Tarsus  also,  was 
my  unfailing  example  and  inspiration  ! " 

What  was  left  for  Amabel  ? 

She  stepped  forward,  and  grasping  her  husband  in  a 
warm  embrace,  wept  great  tears  of  joy.  Words  could 
not  be  found,  but  silence  was  more  eloquent. 


"Friends!"  said  Serenus  calmly,  "joy  and  love  fill  my 
heart  to  overflowing.  Your  words  stir  the  depths  of  my 
soul.  But  behold  I  have  been  but  an  unconstrained 
fountain,  through  which  hath  poured  forth  a  small  meas- 
ure of  the  Ocean  of  Life  and  Love  which  hath  pressed 
in  upon  my  soul." 


PART    FOURTH 
SAULUS  IN   ROME 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

AWAITING   TRIAL    BEFORE    NERO 

IT  was  a  little  past  mid-day,  after  a  toilsome  journey, 
that  Julius,  with  his  notable  prisoner,  accompanied  by 
Luke,  Aristarchus,  and  a  few  soldiers,  approached  the 
city  of  the  Caesars.  From  the  summit  of  a  rise  in  the 
Appian  Way,  a  few  miles  distant,  Saulus  had  the  first 
view  of  the  place  of  his  fateful  residence.  The  long 
wall  of  blue  Sabine  mountains,  with  Soracte  in  the  dis- 
tance, enclosed  the  broad  Campagna,  which  stretched 
across  to  the  sea  and  around  the  base  of  the  Alban 
hills.  The  great  city  seemed  blended  in  one  indis- 
criminate mass  of  color,  in  which  were  mingled  every 
grade  and  variety  of  human  domiciles,  with  colossal 
baths,  temples,  theatres,  colonnades,  and  palaces,  re- 
lieved by  the  gilded  domes  and  roofs  which  flashed  forth 
the  brightness  of  the  warm  afternoon  sun.  As  they  ap- 
proached the  emporium,  the  great  thoroughfare  became 
more  confusing  and  thronged.  It  seemed  like  a  mighty, 
swift-flowing  river  with  counter  currents.  Chariots, 
richly  carved  and  gilded,  drawn  by  three  or  four  horses 
abreast,  two  and  four  wheeled  vehicles  of  all  qualities, 
luxurious  litters,  inlaid  with  mother  of  pearl,  carried 
upon  the  shoulders  of  slaves,  whose  proud  occupants 
looked  down  upon  pedestrians,  horsemen,  and  footmen 

481 


482  VICTOR  SERENUS 

of  all  nationalities,  soldiers  and  civilians,  patricians 
and  beggars,  formed  a  dense  and  endless  moving  pano- 
rama. It  was  the  pulsation  of  the  main  artery  near  the 
heart  of  the  world.  On  either  side  were  countless  tombs, 
architecturally  beautiful,  containing  numerous  bas-re- 
liefs and  inscriptions,  including  those  of  the  Scipios, 
Caecilia  Metella,  and  others  of  notable  fame,  with  end- 
less statues,  columns,  and  other  stately  memorials. 

"  What  conflux  issuing  forth  or  passing  in; 
Praetors,   Proconsuls  to  their  provinces 
Hasting,  or  on  return,    in  robes  of  state, 
Lictors  and  rods,  the  ensigns   of  their  power, 
Legions  and  cohorts,   turms  of  horse  and  wings, 
Or  embassies   from  regions  far  remote, 
In  various  habits,  on  the  Appian  road  .   . 
Dusk  faces  with  white  silken  turbans  wreathed." 

Many  an  eye  glanced  with  disdainful  curiosity  upon 
the  chained  Saulus  and  his  little  knot  of  Jewish  sym- 
pathizers, as  they  threaded  their  way  among  the  crowd 
with  an  escort  of  soldiers.  At  length  in  the  distance 
they  catch  sight  of  the  imperial  palaces  on  the  Palatine 
Hill,  and  still  beyond,  crowning  the  summit  of  Capito- 
linus,  the  Capitol,  or  Tabularium.  Soon  they  pass  by  the 
fountain  of  Egeria,  thence  by  the  pyramid  of  C.  Cestius, 
under  the  arch  of  Drusus,  and  through  the  Capenian 
gate.  Turning  abruptly  to  the  right  at  the  Circus  Maxi- 
mus,  their  route  is  lined  with  temples,  triumphal  arches, 
baths,  and  statues,  until  they  finally  reach  the  barracks 
of  the  Praetorian  guard,  which  was  always  kept  close  at 
hand  for  the  immediate  service  of  Caesar. 

Saulus,   by  his  own   appeal,  was  now  at  the   seat  of 


AWAITING    TRIAL  BEFORE  NERO  483 

the  governmental  and  military  power  of  the  earth.  Even 
though  coming  as  a  prisoner,  a  long  dream  of  his  life 
was  now  accomplished.  He  was  in  Rome. 

Julius  left  his  prisoner  with  the  guard  at  the  entrance 
to  the  barracks,  and  made  his  way  to  the  office  of  Africa- 
nus  Burrus,  the  Praetorian  Praefect,  to  announce  the  termi- 
nation of  his  long  and  successful  commission.  After  the 
usual  military  salute,  the  centurion  began  his  report, — 

"O  Praefect!  I  come  to  make  known  my  return  from 
Caesarea  with  the  prisoner  Saulus,  in  charge  of  whom  I 
was  sent,  and  now  he  is  here,  ready  to  be  delivered  into 
thy  keeping." 

"  It  is  well  !  I  commend  thee  that  thine  arduous  ser- 
vice hath  been  accomplished.  But  so  long  a  time  hath 
passed  since  I  was  informed  concerning  this  case  that 
I  have  forgotten  about  the  nature  of  the  charge.  I  must 
consult  the  records." 

While  the  scribe  of  the  Praefect  was  searching  the 
docket,  Julius  continued  his  verbal  report, — 

"The  man  is  a  Jew,  but  hath  the  rights  of  Roman 
citizenship.  After  being  tried  by  Agrippa,  he  appealed 
unto  Caesar." 

"Ah,  yes!  I  now  call  him  to  mind.  He  is  the  one 
who  stirred  up  such  a  commotion  among  the  Jews  at 
Jerusalem  and  Caesarea.  He  was  charged  with  preach- 
ing a  strange  faith,  and  worshipping  some  unknown 
god.  Was  he  also  answerable  for  speaking  against  the 
authority  of  Caesar?  " 

"Nay;  his  political  loyalty  was  unquestioned!  His 
only  real  offence  was  some  violation  of  Judaism.  There 
was  a  great  clamor  among  the  Jews  for  his  punishment, 


484  VICTOR  SERENUS 

and  even  death.  Their  national  religion  appears  to  be 
peculiarly  bigoted  and  intolerant.  I  am  minded  that 
King  Agrippa  found  no  real  fault  in  him.  I  heard  that 
it  was  declared  both  by  Festus  and  Agrippa  that  the 
man  had  done  nothing  worthy  of  death  or  even  bonds, 
and  that  he  might  have  been  set  free  had  he  not  ap- 
pealed to  Caesar.  Feeling  the  injustice  of  the  accusa- 
tions which  came  from  his  own  countrymen,  he  nobly 
sought  the  highest  tribunal." 

"He  must  be  an  uncommon  prisoner,  and  I  shall  ac- 
cord him  special  privileges  1 " 

"I  rejoice  in  that!  Though  a  chained  prisoner,  he 
is  the  wisest  and  most  marvellous  man  that  I  have  ever 
known.  He  is  gifted  with  more  knowledge,  even  about 
sailing  a  ship,  than  the  master  with  whom  we  took  pas- 
sage. Had  his  advice  been  followed,  we  should  have 
been  spared  a  shipwreck,  and  even  then,  but  for  his 
wisdom  and  wonderful  encouragement,  I  am  persuaded 
that  all  on  board  would  have  perished." 

"  May  the  gods  be  merciful  to  him  !  Thine  experi- 
ence proves  that  a  prisoner  may  sometimes  be  a  phi- 
losopher," said  the  Praefect  thoughtfully;  "but  how 
unfortunate  that  a  man  of  such  superior  wisdom  should 
be  a  devotee  of  a  strange  and  superstitious  religion  1 " 

"Yea !  He  pays  homage  to  a  countryman  of  his  own  — 
a  Nazarene  whose  name  was  Jesus  —  whom  he  calls  '  the 
Christ.'  He  teaches  that  this  Christ  was  a  God-man, 
and  therefore  a  leader  and  ruler;  but  that  his  kingdom 
is  in  the  souls  of  men,  and  that  it  hath  no  dishonor 
for  the  government  of  Caesar." 

"  Shade  of  Apollo !  that  is  a  strange  kind  of  an  em- 


AWAITING    TRIAL  BEFORE  NERO  485 

pire !  Even  our  Roman  gods  have  but  feeble  power  to 
change  the  feelings  and  conduct  of  men.  But  it  would 
seem  that  much  learning  hath  made  the  man  strange, 
and  perchance  a  little  beside  himself ! " 

"  So  I  thought  at  first  sight,  most  excellent  Prefect ! 
but  his  life,  virtue,  and  power  are  marvellous.  He  hath 
ability,  through  his  God,  to  heal  the  sick  and  cast  out 
foul  spirits,  and  both  at  Melita  and  Puteoli  he  did 
many  wonderful  works.  The  inhabitants  were  unwill- 
ing to  part  with  him." 

"Our  soothsayers  essay  to  perform  miracles,  but  I 
have  in  no  wise  confidence  in  their  pretension.  But 
your  report  hath  made  me  much  interested  in  your  no- 
table prisoner.  I  shall  give  him  as  large  a  liberty  as 
my  duty  will  allow." 

"I  assure  thee  that  he  in  no  wise  will  abuse  it," 
said  the  centurion  with  enthusiasm.  "  Behold  his  pres- 
ence, though  not  at  first  outwardly  prepossessing,  is  very 
attractive  and  helpful!  I  cannot  describe  it,  but  he  is 
unlike  any  other  man  I  ever  knew.  I  feel  strangely 
loath  to  part  with  him.  But  my  duty  is  ended,  and  I 
have  only  to  deliver  him  into  thy  hands." 

Julius  then  handed  to  Burrus  the  sealed  parchments 
that  were  sent  by  Festus  and  King  Agrippa.  The  Prae- 
fect  broke  the  seals,  and  carefully  read  the  contents. 

"  I  perceive  that  this  is  an  unwonted  and  prejudiced 
case  from  the  beginning.  The  charges  are  made  wholly 
by  the  Jews,  who  accuse  the  man  of  sedition  and  blas- 
phemy. But  there  is  no  evidence  here.  Did  any  wit- 
nesses come  with  thee?" 

"None,  O  Prefect!  but  I  was  informed  that  some  were 


486  VICTOR  SERENUS 

to  follow.  It  hath  been  made  known  to  me  that  a  ves- 
sel which  sailed  from  Caesarea  soon  after  ours  was  lost 
in  the  same  terrible  storm  in  which  we  were  shipwrecked. 
Peradventure  some  of  the  accusers  of  Saulus  were  aboard 
of  her." 

"That  may  cause  delay  in  the  trial.  But  what  dost 
thou  think  of  the  charges?  " 

"That  they  are  false,  and  have  no  basis  other  than 
in  the  prejudice  of  that  peculiar  people,  the  Jews.  Not- 
withstanding his  strange  faith,  which  we  cannot  rightly 
understand,  he  is  a  man  whom  gods  and  men  must 
reverence,  yea,  even  love." 

"I  would  look  upon  the  face  of  this  unwonted  Jew," 
said  Burrus.  "  Bring  him  in  ! " 

The  centurion  left  and  soon  returned,  conducting  his 
prisoner  into  the  presence  of  the  Praefect.  Saulus 
showed  signs  of  his  many  hardships,  and  his  face  looked 
like  one  whose  life  had  been  exposed  to  many  strains 
and  shocks.  His  hair  was  gray,  his  brow  furrowed,  and 
his  cheeks  hollow,  but  his  eyes  were  bright  and  piercing. 
While  unattractive  in  form  and  feature,  there  was  an 
indescribable  light  and  vigor  within,  which  seemed  to 
shine  through  the  flesh,  and  impress  and  attract  the  most 
careless  beholder. 

"This  is  thy  prisoner,  O  Praefect,  Saulus  of  Tarsus!" 
said  Julius. 

Saulus  gave  the  Praefect  a  proper  greeting. 

"  The  report  of  the  centurion  to  which  I  have  listened 
giveth  me  great  respect  for  thee.  Thy  captivity  shall  be 
made  as  easy  as  my  service  to  Caesar  will  allow,  and 
when  opportunity  offers  I  shall  be  pleased  to  have  some 


AWAITING    TRIAL  BEFORE  NERO  487 

converse  with  thee.  But  now,  after  thy  long  journey, 
thou  dost  need  rest  and  refreshment,  so  for  the  present 
I  will  send  thee  to  thy  quarters." 

Saulus  thanked  the  Prasfect  for  his  kindly  words. 

A  Praetorian  was  directed  to  take  him  to  a  comfortable 
outer  room  in  the  best  part  of  the  prisoners'  quarters,  and 
the  order  was  given  that  he  be  allowed  to  hire  a  house 
in  the  vicinity  for  himself,  if  he  so  desired,  until  the 
time  of  his  trial. 

Beyond  the  Tiber,  in  a  district  mostly  squalid  and 
miserable,  there  had  grown  up  a  large  community  of 
Jews.  It  was  the  residential  section  of  the  rabble,  and 
headquarters  for  the  most  ignoble  trades  and  poorest 
merchandise.  Although  low  and  thoroughly  despised  by 
the  Romans,  but  a  small  portion  of  the  Hebrews  were 
slaves.  At  this  time  toleration  was  general,  and  both 
they  and  the  Christians  enjoyed  immunity  from  disturb- 
ance in  their  synagogue  services. 

As  ever  before  and  since,  the  Jewish  element  was  dis- 
tinct and  unamalgamated.  Through  all  the  ages  they 
have  been  a  standing  wonder,  —  a  "  peculiar  people." 

As  soon  as  Saulus  was  settled  in  Rome,  in  order  that 
his  countrymen  might  not  misunderstand  his  position,  he 
lost  no  time  in  inviting  their  principal  men  —  the  rulers 
and  elders  of  the  synagogues  —  to  meet  him,  so  that 
he  might  disabuse  them  of  prejudice,  which  many  of 
them  already  had  concerning  him.  They  were  sharply 
divided  into  parties  and  sects.  There  were  Jews  of  the 
old  order,  who  were  hostile  to  Christianity;  Judaizing 
Christians,  or  such  as  nominally  accepted  the  Prophet 
of  Nazareth,  but  clung  to  ceremonialism ;  and  a  few  con- 


488  VICTOR  SERJ5NUS 

verts  to  the  New  Faith,  who  nearly  or  quite  disregarded 
the  traditional  code.  With  such  incongruous  elements 
Saulus  began  his  labors,  striving  upon  the  basis  of  es- 
sential truth  to  harmonize  their  discords  and  make  peace. 

At  the  time  appointed,  which  was  only  three  days 
after  his  arrival,  the  room  of  Saulus  was  crowded  with 
the  principal  representatives  of  the  various  sects  which 
he  had  invited  to  meet  him.  While  intending  to  preach 
the  gospel  both  to  Jew  and  Gentile,  he  was  minded  to 
begin  by  an  effort  to  conciliate  the  feelings  of  his  He- 
brew brethren  both  toward  himself  and  the  New  Faith. 
He  came  at  once  to  the  point,  as  soon  as  his  auditors 
were  convened,  and  began  his  address. 

"Brethren  and  friends!  I  would  make  known  unto 
you  that  I  am  no  traitor  to  our  nation  because  I  have 
appealed  to  the  Roman  power.  It  hath  been  rumored 
among  you  that  I  have  come  to  Rome  as  an  accuser  of 
the  Sanhedrin  before  Caesar.  But  instead,  I  have  come 
to  defend  myself  against  its  enmity.  The  chief  priests 
and  elders  invoked  the  lower  tribunals  of  the  foreign 
power,  and  thus  compelled  me  to  appeal  to  the  supreme 
authority  for  justice  and  vindication.  I  have  committed 
no  offence  against  Israel,  or  the  customs  of  our  fathers, 
yet  my  countrymen  delivered  me  up  with  accusations  of 
sedition  and  blasphemy. 

"  Behold  I  am  one  of  your  brethren  —  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham  —  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  —  a  Hebrew  of  the 
Hebrews,  and  my  labors  have  been  abundant  for  the 
salvation  of  our  people !  Even  the  Roman  governor  was 
ready  to  set  me  free,  but  my  Jewish  enemies  would  none 
of  it. 


AWAITING    TRIAL   BEFORE  NERO  489 

"  I  call  God  to  witness  that  my  only  crime  hath  been 
my  firm  faith  in  the  deliverance  of  his  people  through 
the  Messiah,  foretold  and  promised  by  the  prophets  of 
old.  I  am  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  not  by  envy 
and  strife,  but  through  love  and  good-will,  that  it  may 
abound  unto  all  nations  and  to  you-ward.  Behold  the 
covenant  which  the  God  of  glory  made  with  our  father 
Abraham,  and  the  testimony  to  Moses  while  in  the 
wilderness  to  raise  up  a  Prophet  unto  us,  and  the  Holy 
One  spoken  of  by  Isaiah,  all  are  fulfilled  in  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth! As  foretold,  he  was  put  to  death,  and  opened 
not  his  mouth  against  his  enemies.  I  beseech  you,  do 
not  vainly  continue  to  look  for  a  warlike  Messiah,  who, 
through  garments  rolled  in  blood,  shall  restore  only  a 
seen  kingdom,  whereby  the  things  of  this  world  prevail ! 
Behold  in  due  season  a  spiritual  dominion  cometh 
which  shall  fill  the  whole  earth !  Carnal  weapons  must 
give  place  to  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  until  all  nations 
shall  be  brought  under  the  mild  sway  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace.  The  Prophet  of  Nazareth  laid  the  foundation 
for  an  Universal  Kingdom,  but  its  coming  will  be  with- 
out observation. 

"I  might  persuade  you  by  arguments  without  end, 
drawn  from  your  own  Scriptures,  of  the  truth  of  the 
spiritual  faith  which  I  proclaim!  I  could  fill  your  ears 
with  the  warnings,  promises,  and  inspirations  of  the 
ancient  patriarchs,  law-givers,  singers,  and  prophets  that 
have  arisen  among  our  own  people.  I  beseech  you, 
therefore,  to  lay  aside  every  prejudice,  and  no  longer 
dwell  in  dead  forms  and  ceremonies.  I  would  that  ye 
be  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  minds  through 


490  VICTOR  SERENUS 

the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  beseech  you  to  give 
heed  unto  the  words  I  have  spoken,  and  declare  unto 
you  that  it  is  for  the  hope  of  Israel  that  I  am  bound 
with  this  chain! " 

Instead  of  bringing  peace,  the  earnest  appeal  of  Sau- 
lus  increased  the  dissensions  among  his  auditors. 

It  was  ever  thus.  Truth,  when  launched  into  the 
midst  of  error  and  prejudice,  unfailingly  stirs  them  up, 
and  brings  their  bitter  dregs  to  the  surface.  There  is 
far  more  hope  of  winning  an  honest  sceptic  than  a  self- 
satisfied  bigot.  The  Gentiles,  or  heathen,  finally  proved 
much  more  accessible  to  the  New  Faith  than  the  Chosen 
People  themselves,  although  the  number  of  Hebrew 
Christians  somewhat  increased. 

After  a  heated  discussion,  the  larger  part  of  the  au- 
dience withdrew,  and  a  formal  separation  took  place 
between  them  and  the  "Apostle  to  the  Gentiles." 

During  the  two  years  that  the  trial  of  Saulus,  for 
various  reasons,  was  delayed,  he  remained  in  his  own 
hired  house,  and  was  permitted  much  liberty  in  pro- 
claiming the  power  of  the  gospel  to  all  who  came  to 
him.  He  also  wrote  important  letters  to  the  churches 
of  the  East.  But  he  was  still  a  prisoner,  chained  by 
the  arm,  both  night  and  day,  to  a  Praetorian.  Many  of 
the  rough  soldiers  who  guarded  him  were  moulded  by 
his  influence,  and  thoroughly  transformed  in  life  and 
character  by  the  spiritual  righteousness  which  he  awa- 
kened within  them.  Even  some  of  the  household  of 
Caesar  and  a  few  patricians  were  touched  to  the  heart 
by  the  halo  of  the  divinity  which  shone  out  through  the 
personality  of  the  great  Apostle. 


AWAITING    TRIAL    BEFORE  NERO  49! 

As  fair  white  lilies  sometimes  shoot  up  from  the  foul 
black  slime  at  the  bottom  of  a  pond  so  that  their  fra- 
grance is  wafted  abroad  by  the  breezes  of  heaven,  so 
the  seed  of  a  spiritual  tree  was  scattered  in  the  great 
seething  morass  of  corruption  on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber, 
which  would  yet  spring  up  and  overspread  the  nations 
with  its  branches. 


492  VICTOR  SERENU& 


CHAPTER   XXXIX 

ANTIPODES  BROUGHT  FACE  TO  FACE 

"  PRESENT  Saulus  of  Tarsus  for  arraignment ! " 
Immediately  after  these  words  fell  from  the  lips  of 
Nero,   the  notable  prisoner  was   led   into   the  basilica 
of  the  imperial  palace. 

The  room,  of  magnificent  grandeur,  was  of  great  size 
and  perfect  proportion.  The  pavement,  in  mosaic  de- 
signs of  wonderful  pattern  and  finish,  was  a  master- 
piece of  skill,  in  which  serpentine,  onyx,  and  porphyry 
were  artistically  blended.  A  long  row  of  lofty  white 
marble  columns,  containing  zones  of  blended  pale  green, 
stretched  down  the  length  of  the  hall  on  either  side,  and 
the  walls  were  inlaid  with  giallo  antico,  lapis  lazuli, 
and  other  fine  marbles  of  variegated  shades,  which  came 
from  the  mountains  near  Pisa.  The  broad  cornices  of 
alabaster  were  covered  with  a  wealth  of  mythological 
figures  carved  in  strange  and  grotesque  design.  The 
arched  roof,  of  imposing  height  and  of  a  deep  blue 
shade,  was  so  studded  with  golden  points  as  to  repre- 
sent the  evening  heavens.  The  outer  spaces  beyond  the 
columns  were  filled  with  statues  in  bronze,  silver,  gold, 
ivory,  alabaster,  and  marbles,  many  of  which  were  the 
fruits  of  despoliation  in  various  cities  of  the  East. 
Mingled  with  the  statues  were  rare  flowers  in  graven  or 


ANTIPODES  BROUGHT  FACE    TO  FACE       493 

embossed  silver  vases  which  stood  upon  veined  tables 
of  citron. 

Nero's  gold  and  ivory  chair,  in  which  he  half  reclined, 
was  at  the  centre  of  the  apse,  which  projected  from  the 
eastern  end  of  the  basilica.  Broad,  polished  steps  of 
porphyry,  with  a  white  marble  balustrade  on  each  side, 
led  up  to  the  seat  of  the  imperial  judge.  A  little  to 
his  right,  in  a  place  of  special  honor,  an  ivory  cabi- 
net, inlaid  with  mother  of  pearl,  contained  his  poems, 
tragedies,  and  orations,  which  he  counted  of  priceless 
value  to  the  world ;  and  near  by  hung  his  golden  harp, 
adorned  with  precious  stones,  upon  which,  in  the  rbh 
of  a  "divine  artist,"  he  played  to  special  audiences. 

Ranged  in  a  double  row  below  him  on  either  side 
stood  his  special  guard  of  Praetorians,  whose  silver 
eagles  and  gilded  uniforms  gave  glitter  and  pomp  to 
every  official  sitting,  whether  important  or  otherwise. 
Clustered  a  short  distance  behind  him  stood  a  group 
of  tall  lictors,  whose  shining  axed  fasces  symbolized 
a  power  which  none  on  earth  could  dispute. 

Saulus  was  placed  at  a  little  distance  in  front  of 
Nero,  upon  a  spot  marked  by  a  different  color  in  the 
pavement,  and  known  as  the  prisoners'  circle.  His 
chain  was  upon  him,  and  there  was  no  friend  by  his 
side. 

To  the  right  and  left,  on  raised  seats,  and  nearly  in 
front  of  the  imperial  chair,  was  the  council  of  Assess- 
ors, twenty  in  number,  who  were  all  men  of  high  rank. 
Among-  them  were  the  two  consuls  and  the  selected 

O 

representatives  of  other  magistracies  of  Rome,  while  the 
remainder  consisted  of  senators,  chosen  by  lot. 


494  VICTOR  SERENUS 

As  Saulus  took  his  place,  Nero  looked  down  lan- 
guidly, as  if  impatient  at  such  an  interruption  in  the 
work  of  revising  a  new  tragedy,  in  which  he  had  great 
pride.  He  wore  a  white  tunic  and  a  toga  of  rare  purple, 
and  upon  his  head  a  laurel  wreath.  His  eyes  were 
dull  and  bloodshot,  and  his  low,  flat  head,  square  jaw, 
flabby  double  chin,  and  thick  neck  combined  to  give 
him  an  unmistakable  canine  cast  of  countenance.  His 
fat  white  hands  looked  waxy  from  constant  bathing  and 
polishing,  which  was  submitted  to  in  order  that  their 
suppleness  might  be  improved  for  harp-playing.  Min- 
gled plainly  in  his  face  were  colossal  vanity,  cruelty, 
suffering,  and  silliness.  He  was  not  naturally  a  fool, 
but  his  talent  had  become  strangely  abnormal.  Though 
yet  young  in  years,  they  had  been  long  enough  to  trans- 
form a  man  into  a  monster.  He  blinked  as  he  turned 
his  head  from  side  to  side,  as  if  the  air  were  thick  with 
bloody  spectres  that  he  could  not  avoid,  and  from  whom 
he  expected  an  assault.  Disordered  in  mind  and  body, 
he  was  distracted  by  physical  pains  and  psychical  hal- 
lucinations. Guilt  had  honeycombed  him,  and  in  a 
tragic  manner  he  often  told  his  intimates  that  he  was 
haunted  by  all  the  Furies.  But  though  a  profligate  and 
buffoon,  he  was  lord  of  all  the  Roman  legions,  and 
through  them  the  world  was  at  his  feet. 

Saulus  before  Nero ! 

World-wide  contrasts  in  the  same  picture! 

Blackness  and  high  light  in  juxtaposition  ! 

Not  merely  opposite  personalities,  but  two  irreconci- 
lable kingdoms  —  even  worlds  —  confronting  each  other ! 

Hatred,  love  —  resistance,  non-resistance  —  vice,  vir- 


ANTIPODES  BROUGHT  FACE    TO  FACE 


495 


tue  — legions,  moral  ideals  —  animalism,  spirituality! 
These,  rarely  in  the  world's  history  so  sharply  defined 
between  persons,  but  ever  in  warfare  in  human  souls! 

Nero  called  upon  one  of  his  consuls  to  read  the  in- 
dictment. It  was  briefly  summed  up  in  three  charges. 

"First,  the  prisoner,  Saulus,  is  accused  of  disturbing 
the  Jews  in  the  free  exercise  of  their  worship,  which  is 
secured  to  them  by  Roman  law. 

"  Second,  he  is  charged  with  desecrating  their  Temple. 

"Third,  it  is  claimed  that  he  violated  the  public  peace 
by  seditious  agitation,  as  the  leader  of  a  factious  sect 
which  is  treasonable  to  the  authority  of  Rome." 

Saulus  was  asked  to  enter  a  plea  concerning  the  indict- 
ment. 

"I  stand  before  the  tribunal  of  Caesar,  and  answer 
not  guilty  /"  said  he  in  a  calm  but  firm  voice. 

Nero  looked  down  contemptuously  upon  the  prisoner, 
and  took  but  a  sluggish  interest  in  the  charges.  He 
showed  plainly  by  his  manner  that  the  whole  affair  was 
too  trivial  to  be  worthy  of  more  than  a  passing  notice. 
Of  the  Jewish  religion  he  knew  little  and  cared  less. 
The  idea  that  this  poor  fanatic,  with  no  armed  following, 
was  a  menace  to  the  peace  of  the  Empire  was  preposter- 
ous. Nevertheless,  he  must  keep  up  the  forms  of  justice, 
and  the  trial  proceeded. 

The  witnesses  who  had  come  from  Caesarea  were  ex- 
amined, and  the  papers  in  the  case,  which  had  been  sent 
by  Agrippa,  read  by  the  consul.  It  was  plain  to  every 
one  that  the  evidence  was  partial,  and  even  contradic- 
tory. After  the  prosecution  had  been  fully  heard,  Nero 
again  cast  his  eyes  indifferently  upon  Saulus. 


496  VICTOR  SERENUS 

"  Hast  thou  any  one  to  speak  in  thy  defence  ?  " 

"With  the  consent  of  Caesar,  I  would  be  heard  briefly 
in  my  own  behalf  !  "  replied  Saulus. 

While  the  Apostle  could  but  recoil  from  the  charac- 
ter and  personality  of  his  judge,  he  was  the  man  to  re- 
spect the  dignity  which  belonged  to  an  exalted  office. 
He  began  his  reply  in  a  manner  courteous,  calm,  and 
respectful.  Years  of  discipline  had  softened  his  native 
impetuosity,  and  given  him  thorough  poise  and  self- 
command. 

"  I  appear  before  this  supreme  tribunal,  O  Imperator, 
with  assurance  that  I  shall  find  complete  justice  at  thy 
hands.  As  the  fountain  of  government  and  power  in 
this,  the  greatest  Empire  the  world  hath  seen,  I  am  per- 
suaded that  thou  mayest  look  with  indifference  upon  the 
small  jealousies  of  Judean  sectarianism.  I  might  con- 
fidently rest  my  case  before  thee  almost  wholly  upon 
the  discordant  and  even  contradictory  testimony  of  my 
accusers.  I  call  thee  to  witness,  O  Caesar,  that  King 
Agrippa,  who  hath  much  knowledge  of  the  religion  of 
our  nation,  found  me  guiltless  of  the  charges  for  which 
I  am  called  to  make  answer!  Behold  the  whole  matter 
is  but  an  opinion  or  interpretation  between  Jewish  sects, 
concerning  which  the  imperial  government  hath  no  con- 
cern! 

"  Regarding  the  first  accusation,  I  have  called  in 
question  the  liberty  of  no  man  concerning  the  exercise 
of  his  religious  faith.  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  take 
alms  to  the  poor,  and  to  preach  a  pure  faith,  but  neither 
in  the  Temple,  nor  in  the  synagogue,  nor  the  street,  did 
I  dispute  with  any  man,  nor  in  any  manner  disturb 


ANTIPODES  BROUGHT  FACE    TO  FACE        497 

the  peace  !  It  is  indeed  true  that  I  belong  to  the  Naz- 
arenes,  which  the  scribes  and  elders  call  a  heretical  sect, 
but  of  a  truth,  we  worship  the  God  of  our  fathers.  We 
accept  the  things  which  are  written  in  the  law  and  the 
prophets  when  truly  interpreted,  and  peradventure  it 
be  allowable  to  have  sects  of  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
among  the  Jews,  there  is  nothing  more  illegal  in  the 
existence  of  the  Nazarenes.  Behold  it  is  but  a  question 
of  religious  liberty,  which  Rome,  to  her  honor,  guaran- 
tees to  all  her  subjects.  I  have  in  all  this  controversy  a 
conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  man  1 " 

Nero  moved  uneasily,  but  made  no  interruption. 

"The  second  accusation,  alleging  the  profanation  of 
the  Temple,  hath  no  foundation.  Behold  my  visit  was 
only  in  discharge  of  sacred  duty,  and  I  made  no  tumult 
with  any  man !  Such  a  strange  charge  hath  not  been 
proven,  and  cometh  only  from  the  prejudice  of  the  Sad- 
ducees. I  have  always  held  honor  toward  the  Temple 
of  our  fathers,  and  in  no  way  profaned  its  courts  or 
ordinances. 

"Concerning  the  arraignment  of  stirring  up  sedition, 
it  is  utterly  vain  and  empty!  I  have  honored  the  Roman 
law,  and  taught  that  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained 
of  God.  I  ask  that  you  hold  in  remembrance  that  they 
who  have  complained  against  me  are  all  Jews,  and  that 
no  Roman  in  all  Judea,  who  is  set  by  the  authority  of 
Caesar,  hath  said  aught  for  my  condemnation. 

"  I  would  not  weary  thee  by  pointing  out  the  subtlety 
of  the  differences  between  the  Jewish  sects,  for  much  of 
it  would  seem  to  be  foolishness  to  any  Roman;  but,  O 
Imperator,  I  may  truly  avow  that  the  Nazarenes  live  a 


498  VICTOR  SERENUS 

New  Faith  which  hath  priceless  value  for  all  men !  It 
is  a  spiritual  kingdom  which  is  set  up  within  them,  and 
hath  no  controversy  with  the  material  kingdoms  of  this 
world.  So  long  as  religious  liberty  is  proclaimed  by 
Rome,  the  Nazarenes  never  will  be  found  disloyal! 

"  But,  O  Caesar  !  I  cannot  close  my  appeal  without 
saying  that  I  feel  a  love  in  my  heart  for  thee,  and  would 
that  the  most  excellent  faith  of  the  Nazarenes  might  light  up 
thy  soul!" 

A  look  of  strange  surprise  at  the  audacity  of  Saulus 
passed  like  a  flash  over  the  faces  of  the  spectators,  and 
all  eyes  were  turned  toward  Nero  to  see  its  effect  upon 
him.  But  the  outburst  of  the  Apostle  had  been  so  evi- 
dently spontaneous  and  sincere  that  Caesar  was  momen- 
tarily touched.  His  flabby  features  turned  paler  and 
more  constrained  than  was  wont,  and  moisture  appeared 
in  his  heavy  eyes  as  they  were  staringly  fastened  upon 
his  prisoner.  Instead  of  resentment,  he  seemed  fasci- 
nated by  so  strange  a  human  phenomenon. 

"I  have  earnest  good-will  toward  thee,  O  Imperator, 
and  warmly  commend  the  New  Faith  for  the  health  of 
thy  soul!  I  beseech  thee  to  bring  forth  the  works  of 
righteousness,  temperance,  and  mercy !  Thy  Jewish 
prisoner  wishes  thee  well,  and  whatever  befall  him,  he 
hopeth  and  prayeth  for  thy  salvation  1 " 

The  auditors  were  yet  more  astounded,  and  expected 
to  see  Nero  fly  into  a  rage  at  the  closing  words  of  Saulus. 

The  tables  were  turned,  and  behold  the  great  Apostle 
was  in  the  judgment-seat,  and  Caesar  the  prisoner ! 

But  there  was  only  gentleness  in  the  tones  of  Saulus, 
and  the  earnest  love  of  man  for  his  fellow-man  shone 


ANTIPODES  BROUGHT  FACE    TO  FACE       499 

out  so  clearly  that  it  could  not  be  mistaken.  Such  a 
warm  spiritual  brightness  lighted  up  his  features  that 
the  Lion  of  Rome  was  both  awed  and  softened. 

The  trial  closed  with  hasty  formality.  The  Assessors 
by  a  large  majority  voted  for  acquittal,  and  Nero  con- 
firmed the  verdict,  and  the  chains  of  Saulus  were  stricken 
off. 


500  VICTOR  SERENUS 


CHAPTER   XL 

THE   VISIBLE   FORM    LAID   ASIDE 

"  My  prison  walls  cannot  control 
The  flight,  and  freedom  of  the  soul." 

AGAIN  Saulus  was  face  to  face  with  Nero.  Since  his 
first  acquittal  the  Apostle  had  made  long  and  important 
missionary  journeys,  laboring  earnestly  for  the  spread  of 
the  New  Faith.  But  at  length,  upon  the  testimony  of 
informers,  he  was  arrested  by  the  magistrates  of  Nicopo- 
lis,  and  again  sent  to  Rome  for  trial  before  Caesar. 

Great  events  had  taken  place  in  the  world's  metropolis 
since  the  former  trial.  A  conflagration  —  probably  in- 
stigated by  Nero  —  had  destroyed  nearly  half  the  city, 
and  the  Christians  were  charged  with  the  wholesale 
incendiarism.  Their  number  was  now  considerable,  and 
they  had  become  recognized  as  a  peculiar  sect,  distinct 
from  the  Jews,  and  were  popularly  counted  as  grossly 
superstitious  and  disloyal.  Bitterness  and  persecution 
were  meted  out  to  them. 

Instead  of  living  in  his  own  hired  house,  as  afore- 
time, Saulus  was  incarcerated  in  the  dungeon  of  the 
Mamertine  prison,  and  his  friends  were  denied  the  priv- 
ilege of  visiting  him.  But  his  indomitable  spirit  rose 
above  all  outward  things,  and  his  last  letter,  written  to 


THE    VISIBLE  FORM  LAID  ASIDE  $01 

Timotheus  while  on  the  verge  of  the  Unseen,  is  full 
of  triumph.  Pessimism,  doubt,  and  fear  had  no  place 
in  his  soul.  There  was  no  such  thing  as  defeat. 

With  perfect  confidence  in  the  inherent  power  of 
Truth,  and  its  final  supremacy,  he  was  aware  that  its 
progress  was  not  dependent  upon  the  bodily  continuance 
of  himself  or  any  other  person. 

During  his  final  hours  in  the  seen  form  he  was  calm 
and  joyful.  Even  the  sleep  of  his  last  night  on  the 
rock  floor  of  his  dungeon  was  sweet  and  refreshing. 

The  final  scene,  which  took  place  in  the  early  morn- 
ing, was  secret  and  sudden.  Saulus,  with  the  few  who 
had  him  in  charge,  passed  out  upon  the  Appian  Way, 
through  the  gate,  which  after  nineteen  hundred  years 
is  yet  called  by  his  name,  by  the  pyramid  of  C.  Cestius, 
and  on  about  three  miles,  to  a  green  and  level  spot 
known  as  Aquae  Salviae,  where  they  halted. 

The  face  of  the  martyr  already  shone  with  a  heavenly 
light!  He  had  ascended  a  Mount  of  Transfiguration, 
and  his  inner  vision  was  opened!  The  realm  of  phys- 
ical sensation  and  suffering  was  left  behind,  and  now 
he  looks  out  and  up,  and  behold  the  whole  Invisible 
is  visible !  He  has  already  landed  upon  the  Delectable 
Shore!  Here  is  a  new  and  real  Universe! 

Hands  are  clasped  with  those  who  had  passed  before ! 

A  warm  unison  of  love  thrills  through  reunited  souls! 

Things  that  seemed  lost  are  found! 

Stephanos  was  by  his  side,  and  gave  him  love  and 
cheer ! 

What  new  spiritual  activities  and  delightful  minis- 
tries of  loving  service! 


502  VICTOR  SERENUS 

How  the  former  missionary  journeys  shrink  by  com- 
parison with  new  opportunities  now  opening! 

What  glorious  and  far-reaching  vistas! 

How  many  problems  solved  and  mysteries  made  clear ! 

What  a  golden  sunshine  of  harmony,  beauty,  and  love ! 

What  unending  cycles  of  spiritual  progress  and  ac- 
tivity stand  out  and  wind  upward  forever ! 


The  hallowed  place  of  the  translation  is  now  marked 
by  the  magnificent  church  —  resplendent  with  colored 
marbles  of  great  richness  —  of  San  Paolo  fuori  le  Mura. 


I  U  |\  n  I\    > 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL J-IBRABYMOUTY 


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